The US Dept. of Homeland Security has awarded more than $97 million in grants to various seaports, port-related public agencies and private companies for various projects, including helping protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism.
The $97 million in grants, which was announced June 29, is part of a total of $1.3 billion in preparedness grants awarded by the DHS during the 2012 fiscal year. In addition to the port security, grants were awarded in the categories of transit security, intercity passenger rail, tribal homeland security and other categories.
The largest share of the $97 million went to the City of Los Angeles Harbor Department, which runs the Port of Los Angeles. It received $6.9 million, which it says it’ll use to buy two police boats and upgrade communication and computer systems.
The neighboring Port of Long Beach received $2.8 million for various projects.
Among the other West Coast ports receiving major grant funding were the Port of Oakland, which was the recipient $3.5 million and the Port of Stockton, which was awarded $1.7 million.
Seaports receiving lesser funding included the ports of Olympia, Grays Harbor, San Diego and Everett, which received $299,000, $265,650, $153,750 and $55,725, respectively.
Grant recipients also included numerous port-related businesses, including Long Beach Container Inc., which received $3.3 million; the Seattle Fire Dept., which received $1.5 million; and container terminal operator and vessel stevedore TraPac Inc., which was awarded $1 million.
The full list of awardees and amounts can be seen at http://www.joc.com/joc_inc/pdf/FY_12_PSGP_Recipients.pdf .
Showing posts with label Homeland Security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeland Security. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Port Security Bill Approved by House
Legislation that directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study of gaps in US port security passed the U.S. House of Representatives June 28 on a 411 to 9 vote.
H.R. 4005, commonly known as the “Gauging American Port Security Act” or GAPS Act, also directs Homeland Security submit to Congress a classified report on the security holes that includes a prioritization of existing loopholes and a plan for addressing them. The bill is sponsored by California Congresswoman Janice Hahn, whose district includes the Port of Los Angeles. The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.
“The loopholes that continue to exist in port security keeps me up at night,” Hahn said.
“Ports are a huge piece of our economy and an attack or disruption would have a disastrous impact on American jobs and the economy,” she explained. “We will be able to better protect our ports and their contributions to our economy if we know where the weaknesses are and have a plan to address them therefore I’m very pleased this bipartisan and common sense piece of legislation has passed.”
“My first question as a member of the Homeland Security Committee was to Lee Hamilton, vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, on what Congress should be doing to protect our ports. Mr. Hamilton’s response that Congress wasn’t focused enough on our ports meant we needed to act.”
Ships make about 50,000 calls a year on U.S. ports, carrying two billion tons of freight and 134 million passengers, according to federal statistics.
American ports import and export about $3.8 billion worth of goods daily through all 50 states according to the data, plus move 99.4 percent of overseas cargo volume by weight and generate $3.95 trillion in international trade.
However, according to the Department of Homeland Security, less than three percent of cargo coming into the country is scanned.
H.R. 4005, commonly known as the “Gauging American Port Security Act” or GAPS Act, also directs Homeland Security submit to Congress a classified report on the security holes that includes a prioritization of existing loopholes and a plan for addressing them. The bill is sponsored by California Congresswoman Janice Hahn, whose district includes the Port of Los Angeles. The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.
“The loopholes that continue to exist in port security keeps me up at night,” Hahn said.
“Ports are a huge piece of our economy and an attack or disruption would have a disastrous impact on American jobs and the economy,” she explained. “We will be able to better protect our ports and their contributions to our economy if we know where the weaknesses are and have a plan to address them therefore I’m very pleased this bipartisan and common sense piece of legislation has passed.”
“My first question as a member of the Homeland Security Committee was to Lee Hamilton, vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, on what Congress should be doing to protect our ports. Mr. Hamilton’s response that Congress wasn’t focused enough on our ports meant we needed to act.”
Ships make about 50,000 calls a year on U.S. ports, carrying two billion tons of freight and 134 million passengers, according to federal statistics.
American ports import and export about $3.8 billion worth of goods daily through all 50 states according to the data, plus move 99.4 percent of overseas cargo volume by weight and generate $3.95 trillion in international trade.
However, according to the Department of Homeland Security, less than three percent of cargo coming into the country is scanned.
