DHS awards $1.7 billion in FY2007 Homeland Security Grant Program

DHS yesterday announced final Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) awards totaling $1.7 billion, including a total of almost $411 million to the nation’s six urban areas at highest risk of a terrorist attack: New York City/Northern New Jersey, the National Capital Region, Los Angeles/Long Beach, the California Bay Area, Houston, and Chicago. HSGP grants aim to enhance the ability of recipients to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and other disasters. Including this funding, by the end of FY 2007, DHS will have invested $23 billion in local planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercises for state and local governments since 9/11.

HSGP risk assessment methodology considers a variety of factors, including intelligence assessments, population size and density, economic impacts, proximity to critical infrastructure, and other factors critical to national security such as proximity to international borders. HSGP comprises five separate grant programs: Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), and Citizen Corps Program (CCP). Funding was directly allocated in January for MMRS and CCP, and yesterday’s announcement outlined final competitively bid portions of these grants: SHSP, UASI and LETPP. Final FY 2007 HSGP awards include:

* Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI): $746.9 million. The FY 2007 UASI will provide a total of $746.9 million to the 45 urban areas eligible for FY 2007 funding. UASI supports the planning, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas. The six highest risk Tier 1 urban areas competed for $411 million or 55 percent of available funds. The remaining UASI areas competed for $336 million or 45 percent of available funds. Note that for the first time, Tier 1 urban areas may use up to 25 percent of their award to support state and local personnel performing counterterrorism field operations, which provides critical assistance to such activities as intelligence gathering, information sharing, and surveillance.

* State Homeland Security Program (SHSP): $509.3 million. The FY 2007 SHSP will provide a total of $509.3 million to states and territories to support the implementation of State Homeland Security Strategies and build capabilities at the state and local levels through planning, equipment, training, and exercises.

* Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP): $363.8 million. The FY 2007 LETPP will provide a total of $363.8 million to states and territories to provide resources to law enforcement and public safety departments to support critical terrorism prevention activities, including establishing and enhancing intelligence fusion centers.

The following programs receive formula allocations and were announced in January:

* Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS): $32 million. Each of the 124 MMRS jurisdictions will receive $258,145 to establish and sustain local capabilities to respond to all-hazards mass casualty incidents, including terrorism, epidemic disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and large-scale hazardous materials incidents.

* Citizen Corps Program: $14.6 million. The FY 2007 Citizen Corps Program will provide a total of $14.6 million to states and territories to enhance citizen and community involvement in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. States and territories receive a minimum allocation, with remaining funds distributed on a population-share basis.