DHS Funding Helps To Secure Chemical Assets

The Department of Homeland Security has awarded nearly $790 million in grants for nine federal programs—including critical infrastructure—to assist state and local governments and the private sector in strengthening preparedness for acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies. “These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, territorial, and private-sector partners to build a national culture of readiness,” said DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano in a statement. The fiscal 2010 preparedness grants include $48 million for the buffer zone protection program to increase the capabilities of jurisdictions responsible for safeguarding critical infrastructure sites, such as chemical manufacturing facilities and nuclear power plants. Another $14.5 million goes to the freight rail security grant program to protect the freight rail systems infrastructure from acts of terrorism against railroad cars transporting hazardous materials such as chlorine, anhydrous ammonia, and other toxic chemicals.