Homeland Security announces $970M for transportation
The two largest amounts each went for transit and port security grants.
Using the backdrop of commuter-heavy Union Station in Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Wednesday unveiled final allocations of $970 million for 10 federal programs designed to protect the country's transportation system from terrorism. The two largest amounts of $388.6 million each went for transit and port security grants.
Under transit, funding was doubled to $15 million for freight-rail security grants to cover the cost of training employees, developing security plans and installing GPS tracking systems on railroad cars so toxic and hazardous material can be better tracked. Amtrak received $25 million for similar purposes. Port security funds included $45 million for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, just under $38 million for the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports and $32 million for Houston-Galveston.
Only $2.2 million was allocated for trucking security, because Homeland Security did not get enough applications for more funding. Napolitano also said that $48.6 million had been awarded for the buffer zone protection program for areas around chemical facilities and nuclear power plants as well as for the driver's license security grant program.