Emergency Preparedness, Interoperability and School Safety Grants for Ports, Transportation & Rail

Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)

Total Funding Available in FY 2009: $348,600,000

Purpose: The TSGP provides grant funding to the nation’s key high-threat urban areas to enhance security measures for their critical transit infrastructure including bus, ferry and rail systems.

Eligible Applicants: Transit agencies eligible for FY 2009 TSGP funding were identified using a comprehensive, empirically-grounded risk analysis model. The risk methodology for the TSGP is consistent across modes and is linked to the risk methodology used to determine eligibility for the core DHS state and local grant programs. TSGP basic eligibility is derived from the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI).

Certain ferry systems are eligible to participate in the FY 2009 TSGP and receive funds under the Tier I cooperative agreement process. However, any ferry system electing to participate and receive funds under the FY 2009 TSGP cannot participate in the FY 2009 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), and will not be considered for funding under the FY 2009 PSGP. Likewise, any ferry system that participates in PSGP cannot be considered for funding under TSGP.

Program Awards: Regional transit agencies and ferry systems will compete for funding within their tiers.

Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)

Total Funding Available in FY 2009: $15,000,000

Purpose: In FY 2009, the FRSGP will fund security training for frontline employees, the completion of vulnerability assessments, the development of security plans within the freight rail industry and GPS tracking systems for railroad cars transporting toxic inhalation materials (TIH).

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are divided into groups based on the types of projects they can apply for: Class I, II and III railroad carriers, and owners of railroad cars transporting TIH. Eligible railroad carriers may ONLY request funding for security awareness, emergency response training for railroad frontline employees and the completion of vulnerability assessments and security plans.

Program Awards: Applicants will be selected through a competitive process based on their ability to deliver training, develop security plans and vulnerability assessments, and proposals to install Global Positioning Tracking (GPS) on rail cars carrying TIH.

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)

Total Funding Available in FY 2009: $388,600,000

Purpose: The PSGP provides grant funding to port areas for the protection of critical port infrastructure from terrorism. PSGP funds are primarily intended to assist ports in enhancing maritime domain awareness, enhancing risk management capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and other non-conventional weapons, as well as training and exercises and Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) implementation.

Eligible Applicants: Seven port areas have been selected as Group I (highest risk) and 48 port areas have been selected as Group II. Ports not identified in Group I or II are eligible to apply as a Group III or “All Other Port Areas” applicant. Under a fifth group eligible ferry systems may also apply for funding. “All Other Port Areas” within Group I, II or III are allowed to receive grant funds from their geographically proximate higher group if the project has regional impact across the entire port area, but not from both funding groups for the same project. Eligible ferry systems identified in the FY 2009 Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) Guidance that elect to participate and receive funds under the FY 2009 TSGP cannot participate in the PSGP.

Program Awards: Each Group I and Group II port area has been designated a specific amount of money based upon the FY 2009 risk analysis. Group III, and “All Other Port Areas” and ferry systems will compete for the funding identified in their corresponding group. Newly identified Group II port areas opting out of the Fiduciary Agent process will compete for funding among the Group III port areas.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)

Total Funding Available in FY 2009: $11,658,000

Purpose: The IBSGP provides funding to create a sustainable program for the protection of intercity bus systems and the traveling public from terrorism. The program seeks to assist operators of fixed-route intercity and charter bus services in obtaining the resources required to support security measures such as enhanced planning, facility security upgrades and vehicle and driver protection.

Eligible Applicants: The only eligible grantees for the FY 2009 IBSGP are private operators providing fixed-route or charter transportation by an over-the-road bus servicing an Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) jurisdiction. Charter companies must make a minimum of 50 trips annually to one or more UASI jurisdictions. Companies with 250 or more over-the-road buses in operation and providing the highest volume of services to high-risk urban areas will be placed in Tier I. All other applicants that meet the minimum eligibility requirements will be placed in Tier II.

Program Awards: Bus companies will compete for funds within their designated tiers.

Trucking Security Program (TSP)

Total Funding Available in FY 2009: $7,772,000

Purpose: The FY 2009 TSP funding will be awarded to eligible applicants to implement security improvement measures and policies deemed valuable by DHS as indicated in the Security Action Items publication of June 26, 2008. These items are primarily focused on the purchase and installation or enhancement of equipment and systems related to tractor and trailer tracking systems. Additionally, the TSP will provide funding to develop a system for DHS to monitor, collect and analyze tracking information; and develop plans to improve the effectiveness of transportation and distribution of supplies and commodities during catastrophic events.

Eligible Applicants: Eligibility for funding under the Security Action Item Implementation priority is limited to applicants who have a current security plan subject to Title 49 CFR 172.800 Transport Tier I Commodities as defined by TSA through the issuance of Highway Security-Sensitive Materials (HSSM) Security Action Items. Eligible applicants will be placed into one of two tiers: Tier I consisting of eligible applicants that have 11 or more tractors or Tier II, consisting of eligible applicants that have 10 or less tractors. There are no restrictions on the eligibility for the monitoring and planning priority of TSP. These applicants must demonstrate that they have the financial and resource capabilities to successfully address the Security Action Implementation and Monitoring and Planning priorities.

Program Awards: A national review panel consisting of subject matter experts from federal agencies will review and assess applications based on feasibility, timelines and sustainability.