Senator Lautenberg Announces Increased Homeland Security Funding For NJ/NY Region

February 1, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that New Jersey, New York and Connecticut are eligible for increased federal homeland security funding. Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it is making available fiscal year 2008 funding for transportation infrastructure protection grants. The increased funding levels, much of which is going to shore up critical infrastructure in New Jersey, is made possible by a higher Congressional appropriation made to DHS this year for security grants.

“I am proud we were able to secure this critical funding to protect our ports, trains, buses and transportation infrastructure in New Jersey and across the entire region. Whether it’s fighting for adequate security funding from the Bush Administration or requiring grants based on risk, we will continue working to better protect New Jersey,” said Sen. Lautenberg.

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Increasing homeland security funding for our nation’s most vulnerable areas was one of the highest priorities of the incoming Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate and House.

DHS announced eligibility for states, regions and transit agencies/companies to apply for the following security grants.

* Transit/Rail Security: Congress appropriated nearly $400 million for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) this year (up from $271.7 million), which supports risk-based efforts to protect critical transit infrastructure from terrorism. This means anincrease from $61 million to $151 million that will be available to the NJ/NY/CT region.

* Port Security: The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), will make available $388.6 million ($43.4 million for NJ/NY), up from $312 million ($27.3 million for NJ/NY) last year.

* Bus Security: The Newark/Jersey City region is one of seven regions nationwide eligible for bus grants of $6.1 million, and the Philadelphia region is one of 52 regions available for bus security grants of $5 million.

* Freight Railroads: Railroads operating in the Newark area, including Jersey City and Newark and the counties of Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Union are eligible to receive up to $15 million in freight rail security grants.

* Amtrak: Congress has also appropriated $25 million for security grants to Amtrak.

Source: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg