$283 Million In DHS Funding For New York State

Funding Represents a 14.6 Percent Increase from 2008 Funds; More Than $145 Million for New York City; Rochester Awarded a Record 57.4 Percent Funding Increase

June 18, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded New York State more than $283 million in federal homeland security funding, including more than $145 million for the New York City area.

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This allotment totals $36,133,877 more than the 2008 funds distributed to New York, a 14.6 percent increase from 2008 funding levels. Each year, this funding helps communities and first responders across the State to better prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other emergencies.

At the direction of Governor Paterson, the New York State Office of Homeland Security successfully worked with DHS to get the Rochester Urban Area an unprecedented 57.4 percent increase in funding from last year with an award of more than $2.3 million.

“New York State and especially New York City, has the greatest need for anti-terror funds and I am glad to see the federal government has recognized that once again,” said Governor Paterson. “These funds are vital to the fight against terror and to increase preparedness for natural disasters. We will continue to enhance our first responder and emergency management capabilities in New York at all levels of government. I thank Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and our Congressional Delegation for directing these funds where they are most needed: New York.”

Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Denise E. O’Donnell said: “These grants funds from the federal Department of Homeland Security will greatly support our State Homeland Security Strategy. By tying these funds to increasing our capabilities and filling our gaps, we will continue to fight terrorism at its heart and be better equipped to respond to the natural disasters we face in New York State.”

Director of the New York State Office of Homeland Security Thomas G. Donlon said: “New York has been and continues to be a leader in the fight against terrorism. With these grant funds we can continue to provide the vital planning, personnel, and equipment that are required to help our communities guard against acts of terrorism as well as natural disasters.”

New York will receive $283,542,754 in federal homeland security grants. The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), which includes the State Homeland Security Program, the Urban Areas Security Initiative, Metropolitan Medical Response System, and the Citizen Corps Program, received an overall increase of 16.5 percent over the 2008 fiscal year. The State Homeland Security Program received an increase of 46.9 percent; New York City’s Urban Areas Security Initiative funding received an increased of .66 percent; and the Metropolitan Medical Response System funding remained constant with 2008 funding levels.

State Homeland Security Program (SHSP): $112,412,500
SHSP supports the implementation of the New York State Homeland Security Strategy to address the identified planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs for acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events. In addition, SHSP supports the implementation of the National Preparedness Guidelines, the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the National Response Framework (NRF). The New York State Office of Homeland Security will announce specific SHSP awards for local jurisdictions in August and applications for this program will be released concurrently.

In 2009, DHS announced two priority areas for the SHSP program:

* 25 percent of SHSP funds must be spent in support of law enforcement prevention activities; and
* 25 percent of SHSP funds must be used to “Strengthen Preparedness Planning” Capabilities.

Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI): $156,783,850
The 2009 UASI grant will provide a total of $156,783,850 to New York State’s five urban areas, which represents a 1.6 percent increase from the State’s 2008 award. The UASI program provides funding to address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density Urban Areas, and assist them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. Like the SHSP grant, 25 percent of UASI funds must be spent in support of law enforcement prevention activities and 25 percent must be spent to “Strengthen Preparedness Planning.”

The following five UASI areas will receive awards:

* New York City Urban Area: $145,137,750
* Buffalo Urban Area: $5,544,750
* Albany-Schenectady-Troy Urban Area: $1,924,250
* Rochester Urban Area: $2,307,800
* Syracuse Urban Area: $1,869,300

Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS): $1,606,105
In 2009, New York State will receive $1,606,105 to enhance local medical incident management’s ability to coordinate and respond to a mass casualty event during the first crucial hours of an incident until significant external resources arrive. Five cities (Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers) will each receive MMRS awards of $321,221 to enhance their capabilities to maintain and update plans, to deliver training, to purchase equipment and to conduct exercises.

Citizen Corps Program (CCP): $660,697
The New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) administers the CCP grant and distributes funding to local Citizen Corps Councils to enhance their capabilities. In 2008, the State’s CCP award was used to support 10 local Citizen Corps Councils across New York State. The Citizen Corps mission is to bring community and government leaders together to coordinate the involvement of community members and organizations in emergency preparedness.

Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP): $7,234,000
The New York City-Northern New Jersey-Connecticut region will receive $7,234,000 in 2009 RCPGP funding. The RCPGP supports coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events, including the development of integrated planning communities, plans, protocols, and procedures to manage a catastrophic event. The RCPGP’s mission is to fix shortcomings in existing plans; to build regional planning processes and planning communities; and to link operational and capabilities-based planning for resource allocation. The New York City/Northern New Jersey RCPGP is overseen programmatically by the site’s Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT).

Not-for-Profit Security Grant Program (NSGP): $4,614,602
Under the 2009 NSGP, 68 nonprofit organizations in NYS will receive funding. The NSGP provides funding for target hardening activities to protect nonprofit (501)(c)(3) organizations in federally-designated UASI areas. While this funding is provided specifically to high-risk nonprofit organizations, the program seeks to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts.

State Homeland Security Program Tribal Supplement: $231,000
The SHSP Tribal program provides supplemental funding to eligible tribes to help strengthen the nation against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks. This grant is managed directly by the federal Department of Homeland Security. Under the 2009 SHSP Tribal Supplemental program, the Seneca Nation of Indians will receive funding.

Source: New York Governor