U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) New Jersey’s only member of the Homeland Security Committee today announced over $86 million in new federal homeland security funding for New Jersey’s chemical plants, ports, rails, busses and emergency communication infrastructure.
“I applaud the Obama administration for demonstrating a strong commitment to homeland security funding in a difficult budget climate,” stated Pascrell. “Financial security is inextricably linked to homeland security making us particularly vulnerable during times like these. This funding reflects the risk-based funding approach that is essential to securing the ports, chemical plants and mass transportation infrastructure in our region.”
Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)
The TSGP provides grant funding to the nation’s key high-threat urban areas to enhance security measures for their critical transit infrastructure including bus, ferry and rail systems. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has been allocated $23,850,000. New Jersey Transit has been allocated $5,575,696
Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)
The PSGP provides grant funding to port areas for the protection of critical port infrastructure from terrorism. PSGP funds are primarily intended to assist ports in enhancing maritime domain awareness, enhancing risk management capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and other non-conventional weapons, as well as training and exercises and Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) implementation. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was awarded $45,032,145. The Delaware River and bay Authority was awarded $262,711
Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)
The FRSGP will fund security training for frontline employees, the completion of vulnerability assessments, the development of security plans within the freight rail industry and GPS tracking systems for railroad cars transporting toxic inhalation hazard materials (TIH). In New Jersey, the Morristown and Erie Railway, Inc. has been awarded $100,000.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)
The IBSGP provides funding to create a sustainable program for the protection of intercity bus systems and the traveling public from terrorism. The program seeks to assist operators of fixed-route intercity and charter bus services in obtaining the resources required to support security measures such as enhanced planning, facility security upgrades and vehicle and driver protection. The following New Jersey bus companies will split $2.5 million in funding:
Academy Express, LLC has been allocated $1,348,460
Coach USA, Inc. has been allocated $444,075
A-1 Limousine, Inc. has been allocated $131,430
Lakeland Bus Lines, Inc has been allocated $191,800
Rossmeyer & Weber, Inc. has been allocated $56,154
Safety Bus Service, Inc. has been allocated $34,029
Stout’s Charter Service, Inc. has been allocated $363,001
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
In addition to the FY 2009 transportation infrastructure security programs, the following FEMA programs have been allocated:
Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP)
IECGP provides governance, planning, training and exercise and equipment funding to states, territories and local governments to carry out initiatives to improve interoperable emergency communications, including communications in collective response to natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. According to the legislation that created IECGP, all proposed activities must be integral to interoperable emergency communications and must be aligned with the goals, objectives and initiatives identified in the grantee’s approved Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans (SCIP). IECGP also advances DHS near-term priorities that are deemed critical to improving interoperable emergency communications and are consistent with goals and objectives of the National Emergency Communications Plan. New Jersey has been allocated $1,433,469
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program
The purpose of the FY 2009 EOC Grant Program is to improve emergency management and preparedness capabilities by supporting flexible, sustainable, secure and interoperable EOCs with a focus on addressing identified deficiencies and needs. This program provides funding for construction or renovation of a state or local governments’ principal EOC. Fully capable emergency operations facilities at the state and local levels are an essential element of a comprehensive national emergency management system and are necessary to ensure continuity of operations and continuity of government in major disasters caused by any hazard. New Jersey has been allocated $3,000,000, which will be distributed to the following counties:
Atlantic County- $750,000
Essex County-$250,000
Hudson County-$1,000,000
Morris County-$1,000,000
Driver’s License Security Grant Program (DLSGP)
The purpose of FY 2009 Driver’s License Security Grant Program is to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud and improve the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents that states and territories issue. New Jersey has been allocated $1,169,839
Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP)
The BZPP provides funding to increase the preparedness capabilities of jurisdictions responsible for the safety and security of communities surrounding high-priority pre-designated Tier 1 and Tier 2 critical infrastructure and key resource (CIKR) assets, including chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums and other high-risk/high-consequence facilities, through allowable planning and equipment acquisition. New Jersey has been allocated $3,600,000
“I am particularly pleased with New Jersey’s increase in funding for security around chemical plants and other critical infrastructure. Secretary Napolitano assured me of her strong commitment to a risk-based homeland security funding model during a committee hearing earlier this year. I am encouraged that the administration has made good on that promise. But much work remains. Far too many vulnerabilities remain in our metropolita
