Homeland Security Announces Preparedness Grants for FY 2011

Fiscal constraints reduced Department of Homeland Security grants by $780 million, but the agency is determined to make less money go a long way. Funds were allocated "based strictly on an assessment of risks and vulnerabilities" to focus the limited funding on the highest risk area.

"In today's tight fiscal environment, we are setting clear priorities and focusing on the areas that face the greatest risk to maximize our limited grant dollars," Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano said in a release on Tuesday. "The FY 2011 homeland security grants are focused on mitigating and responding to the evolving threats we face."

Final allocations for 12 preparedness grant programs total more than $2.1 billion in funds to assist state, territorial, and tribal governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector to enhance “the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to, recover from, and mitigate terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies.”

The latest media announcements come from several areas that were awarded funding to protect the country’s northern borders. WKYC reports northern Ohio counties will receive $657,593 to enhance border security. North Dakota will receive more than $5 million to help the agencies prevent terrorist attacks, secure U.S. borders, and enhance emergency preparedness, the Grand Forks Herald reports.

From the DHS release:

• Homeland Security Grant Program $1.28 billion for various homeland security initiative like Operation Stonegarden, the Metropolitan Medical Response System, the Citizen Corps Program, and funds to enhance regional preparedness capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density urban areas.
   
• $10 million to the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program to implement preparedness initiatives.
   
• $18 million to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program for non-profits at risk of a terrorist attack.
   
• $14 million to the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program for incident preparedness in urban areas and hazard planning.
   
• $14 million to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers.
   
• $45 million to the Driver’s License Security Grant Program to improve U.S. identification documents.
   
• $200 million to owners and operators of transit systems to protect critical surface transportation from acts of terrorism (Freight Rail Security Grant Program).
   
• $22 million to the Intercity Passenger Rail (IPR-Amtrak) Program to increase Amtrak’s resilience.
   
• $5 million to the Intercity Bus Security Grant Program.
   
• $235 million to protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism and enhance maritime domain awareness.
   
• $329 million to assist state and local governments to enhance and sustain all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

♦ Photo by MooersRealty  from flickr