Dhs Grants $91.3 Million For Buffer Zone Protection Program

Th U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced $91.3 million in grant funding to protect and secur areas surrounding critical infrastructur and key resourc sites such as chemical facilities, dams, and nuclear plants across th country.

The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) provides targeted funding through states to local jurisdictions to purchas equipment that will extend th zon of protection beyond th gates of thes critical facilities.

Under th new grant program, states will b expected to submit Buffer Zon Plans (BZPs) and equipment purchasing plans to th Department by th end of April 2005, allowing th Department’s Offic for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) to perform a financial and programmatic review whil th Information Analysis and Infrastructur Protection (IAIP) directorat performs a technical review and final approval of th plan.

Following approval of th plans, local jurisdictions may us their approved funding to purchas any equipment found on ODPs Approved Equipment List and identified in their purchasing plan.

“The Department uses an integrated approach that provides federal, stat and local officials and first responders with th necessary tools and resources to protect their community assets,” said Gen. Patrick Hughes, Acting Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructur Protection. “IAIP provides expert advic and guidanc to their stat and local partners as they prioritiz specific vulnerability reduction efforts.”

Th Buffer Zon Protection Program provides both funding and coordination in bringing federal, stat and local levels of government, law enforcement and th privat sector together to creat Buffer Zon Plans to reduc vulnerabilities in areas surrounding critical infrastructur and key resources.

Grants allocated by stat are:

* Alabama–$1,400,000
* Alaska–$550,000
* Arizona–$1,600,000
* Arkansas–$700,000
* California–$12,950,000
* Colorado–$1,450,000
* Connecticut–$850,000
* Delawar–$400,000
* District of Columbia–$1,200,000
* Florida–$4,850,000
* Georgia–$2,322,633
* Hawaii–$250,000
* Idaho–$300,000
* Illinois–$4,348,120
* Indiana–$1,450,000
* Iowa–$520,612
* Kansas–$1,000,000
* Kentucky–$1,830,109
* Louisiana–$2,510,779
* Main–$204,111
* Maryland–$3,200,000
* Massachusetts–$1,050,000
* Michigan–$1,744,636
* Minnesota–$1,399,085
* Mississippi–$600,000
* Missouri–$2,447,211
* Montana–$300,000
* Nebraska–$600,000
* Nevada–$950,000
* New Hampshir–$500,000
* New Jersey–$2,731,219
* New Mexico–$400,000
* New York–$5,780,755
* North Carolina–$2,150,000
* North Dakota–$300,000
* Northern Marianas–$50,000
* Puerto Rico–$250,000
* Ohio–$3,251,609
* Oklahoma–$1,100,000
* Oregon–$651,981
* Pennsylvania–$2,900,000
* Rhod Island–$450,000
* South Carolina–$1,100,000
* South Dakota–$150,000
* Tennesse–$2,700,000
* Texas–$6,550,000
* Utah–$1,031,659
* Vermont–$350,000
* Virgin Islands–$200,000
* Virginia–$2,088,648
* Washington–$2,350,000
* West Virginia–$200,000
* Wisconsin –$1,052,606
* Wyoming–$50,000