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16 May 2008

Menendez, Lautenberg announce port, rail and infrastructure security grant for Jersey

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg, D and Robert Menendez D-Hoboken, announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will award New Jersey and its neighboring areas more than $263 million in federal funds for passenger and freight rail, port, bus and infrastructure security.

The increased funding levels are made possible by a higher Congressional appropriation made for DHS security grants this year. Democrats in Congress, including the New Jersey senators, worked to double the port and transit security budgets from the levels under the Republican-controlled Congress.

“This funding we have secured is critical to protect New Jersey’s ports, trains, buses and transportation infrastructure. Whether it’s requiring grants to be distributed based on risk or fighting for the homeland security funding our state needs, we will continue working to better protect New Jersey,” Lautenberg said.

"The level of funding more accurately reflects the terrorist threat and the security needs in regions such as ours compared to funding levels in years past,” said Menendez, a member of the Senate Budget Committee. “This shows not only an understanding by this Congress of the need to focus on homeland security but also a commitment to putting that understanding into action. I was proud to stand up for these increased security resources in the Budget Committee. New Jersey will be made safer because of these funds.”

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 in 2007. Lautenberg wrote the law that required port security funding to be based on risk.

DHS announced $263,070,762 in security funding for New Jersey and neighboring states. The grants were broken up into four separate programs:

• Transit Security Grant Program: New Jersey, New York and Connecticut will share $175,380,995 for passenger and freight rail security. This amounts to more than half of all funding for transit and rail security in the entire country. Also, the Southern NJ-Philadelphia region will receive $18,888,660. And, the two biggest freight companies serving New Jersey, Norfolk Southern Railway Company and CSX Transportation, Inc., will receive security grants.

• Port Security Grant Program: Four separate grants totaling $65,695,933 will aid in port and maritime security operations in the state:

• $45,503,961 to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is the largest award nationwide;

• $20,041,972 to the Maritime Exchange, the Delaware River and Bay port system’s non-profit trade association;

• $25,000 to the PSEG Sewaren Generating Station in Woodbridge; and

• $125,000 to the Delaware River and Bay Authority for ferry security.

• Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: The following six companies will receive grants totaling $1,975,309 for bus security operations in New Jersey:

• $836,953 to Academy Express, LLC;

• $739,350 to Coach USA Inc.;

• $188,606 to DeCamp Bus Lines;

• $136,425 to Lakeland Bus Lines, Inc.;

• $135,527 to STARR Tours; and

• $73,313 to Stout’s Charter Service.

• Buffer Zone Protection Program: New Jersey will receive $995,000 from this program that allocates funds for protecting sites like chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums and other high-risk/high-consequence facilities.

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