DHS distributes port and mass transit grants

The Homeland Security Department is distributing $300 million in economic stimulus law funds for port and mass transit grants for projects that include high-tech identification cards and domain-awareness solutions, officials announced.

The department is making available $150 million from the stimulus law available for the Port Security Grant Program, in addition to $389 million already allocated by Congress for fiscal 2009, Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a May 29 news release.

The port program pays for technology and equipment to protect against terrorism, including maritime domain-awareness solutions, risk-management capabilities, protections against improvised explosive devices. It also can be used to support implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, which is an identification card that contains a photo and digitized fingerprint information.

DHS in April completed a rollout of the TWIC to 1.2 million seaport workers. The department is currently testing readers to process the cards.

The department also announced $150 million in economic stimulus funds for the Transit Security Grant Program to support security solutions at mass transit stations and facilities, in addition to the $389 million already allocated by Congress for the year.

Eligible programs include support for explosive detection screening and security improvements to high-density tunnels, stations and bridges.