Eight Ports to Receive 60% of Security Funding

While the Tier I, highest risk status, locations will be beneficiaries of the greatest chunk of money under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), there are 17 Tier II port regions that qualify for 20% of the supplemental funding, for a total of $22 million.

“State and local governments will benefit from this additional influx of federal dollars to enhance security,” says Michael Chertoff, Secretary of DHS. “It will also assist emergency managers with even more tools to build our national preparedness goals.”

An additional $16.5 million is available for Tier III projects and DHS will make available $5.5 million for Tier IV ports to submit proposals specifically for Transportation Worker Identification Credential implementation or security training initiatives.

For any of the grants, eligible applicants must apply for this FY2007 supplemental funding at www.grants.gov no later than 11:59 pm on August 29. DHS expects to award the grants by September 30.

Tier I PSGP areas are: New York-New Jersey ($14.9 million), New Orleans ($9.5 million), Houston-Galveston ($8.6 million), Los Angeles-Long Beach ($8.1 million), Puget Sound–Seattle-Tacoma ($6.7 million), Delaware Bay—Philadelphia, Wilmington Delaware And Southern New Jersey ($6.2 million), San Francisco Bay ($6.1 million) and Sabine-Neches River—Port Arthur-Beaumont, Texas ($6.0 million).