Mineta Touts Port Security Grants

(enr.com - 6/18/02)

By Aileen Cho

Fifty-one U.S. ports will receive a share of $92.3 million in grants meant for security enhancements, including infrastructure expansions and improvements, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. MIneta announced today at a press conference held in New York City.

Flanked by members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Vice Chairman Charles Gargano and New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Mineta said there is no policy yet on long-term funding for port security, but that a supplemental bill of $75 million is working its way through the House, with a somewhat larger amount going through the Senate. New York City's port authority will receive $9.3 million of the $92.3 million currently available in grants. Some $78 million is allocated for expansion of facilities and operations, $5 million for vulnerability assessments and $9.3 million for "proof-of-concept" projects to experiment with new technology such as vessel tracking and electronic seals. Gargano noted that the New York City grant will be added to the port authority's $60 million already slated for increasing security. Congress "has been extremely supportive so far, and I'm sure more will be coming," he said.