New Wave of Grants Aimed at Infrastructure Security
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Reported by Joe Pappalardo
The Department of Homeland Security announced it would distribute
$91.3 million in grant funding to secure areas surrounding critical
infrastructure sites, including chemical facilities, dams and nuclear
plants.
The Buffer Zone Protection Program provides funding through states
to local jurisdictions to purchase equipment that will extend the
zone of protection beyond the gates of these critical facilities.
Under the new grant program, states submitted equipment-purchasing
plans to the Department at the end of April, for review by DHS’
Office for Domestic Preparedness. Simultaneously to ODP’s
review, the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection directorate
will perform a technical assessment and give final approval of the
“buffer zone” plans.
The available money has been broken up by state, with amounts varying
widely. The clear winner is California, which will have $12.9 million
to distribute, almost double the next largest sum, going to Texas.
Wyoming and the Northern Marianas represent the low end of the scale,
each receiving $50,000 under the new program.