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Port Security Grants News

11 Apr 2017

Horizon Shipbuilding Grows through Diversification

Photo: Horizon Shipbuilding

Alabama's Horizon Shipbuilding is bustling with activity. New York Fast Ferries are being quickly delivered, large AST tugs are being built and launched, and vessels of all sizes are cycling through weekly for refurbishment and refit. “Our company’s diversity allows us to manage multiple projects at one time,” said Travis Short, owner of Horizon. “We are a true full service builder. In 2009 F.E.M.A., through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, began aggressively funding state…

30 Jun 2016

US Provides $100 Mln in Port Security Grants

File photo: Port of Baltimore

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced final allocations of $275 million for six fiscal year 2016 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) competitive preparedness grant programs, including $100 million for the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP). The PSGP aims to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

09 Feb 2016

Obama’s Budget ‘Grossly Imbalanced’ For US Ports -AAPA

Kurt Nagle (Photo: AAPA)

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) said today it is encouraged by the potential of significant gains for landside freight transportation programs in President Obama’s fiscal 2017 budget, bit is disappointed, however, in the proposed funding levels for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal navigation programs, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Port Security Grant program.

16 Dec 2015

US Seaports Eye Increased Funding

Photo: Port of Houston Authority

In reviewing the $1.15 trillion amount in the U.S. House-Senate conference agreement released last night for the fiscal 2016 omnibus appropriations bill (HR 2029), the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)—the unified and recognized voice of seaports in America—noted that there are significant funds to enhance U.S. port infrastructure. The largest increases are for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Navigation Program and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants program. The agreement also includes level funding for the U.S.

20 Mar 2015

Sen. Vitter and Ruiz de Teresa to Receive AAPA Award

U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and Mexico’s general coordinator of ports and merchant marine, Guillermo Ruiz de Teresa, have been jointly selected to receive the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2015 “Port Person of the Year” award. The AAPA selected Sen. Vitter and General Coordinator Ruiz de Teresa for their work toward reforming their country’s water resources development legislation, including boosting federal funding to maintain and improve their nation’s ports and harbors, as well as their efforts in creating jobs and improving economic competitiveness in the U.S. and Mexico. “Both Sen. Vitter and General Coordinator…

05 Jan 2015

As Interest in LNG Surges, Regulators Struggle to Keep Pace

Joan M. Bondareff

The use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a transportation fuel for ships, barges and ferries has surged in recent months. This surge is due, in large part, to the boon in the production of natural gas in the U.S.; new low sulfur rules for the North American Emission Control Area (ECA), which go into effect on January 1, 2015; and new technologies for the construction of engines capable of running on LNG. Regulatory regimes both in the U.S. and worldwide are struggling to keep pace with the tremendous growth of LNG as a fuel.

10 Dec 2014

AAPA: FY’15 ‘Cromnibus’ Bill Supports Ports

Kurt Nagle, AAPA President & CEO

Significant increases seen for Corps’ seaport programs & EPA’s DERA grants. In reviewing the proposed $1.01 trillion Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 hammered out in Congress late yesterday, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) noted that there are significant increases for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) operations and maintenance (O&M) activities and construction budgets, and for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants program.

25 Sep 2014

Moose Boats’ Fire Rescue Catamaran

Specialty workboats redefined: versatility, value and multi-mission capabilities, all rolled into one affordable hull. In a world where small to medium sized municipalities and port authorities have to make every dollar go a long, long way, any opportunity to leverage just one hull over multiple mission sets grabs a lot of attention. Nevertheless, Job 1 on that set of requirements is arguably the need to provide robust firefighting capabilities. Sure, everyone would like to have the ability to pump 15,000 gallons per minute (gpm), but at the same time, not everyone can afford it. Nor does everyone have the available draft to support such a (larger) platform.

03 Jan 2014

U.S. Port Security and the Impact of Sequester & Budget Woes

Coast Guard transportable port security boats attached to Port Security Unit 308 and riverine command boats from Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 2 practice maneuvers together in the Intracoastal Waterway in North Carolina. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Brunson)

This article describes the impact of the “sequester” and budget showdowns on ports and port security, and also gives a preview of the House-Senate Conference on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). On the one hand, ports and port security have been severely hampered by the ongoing budget battles, as has the rest of the U.S. Government and economy. On the other hand, Congress appears to be on the brink of reauthorizing the Water Resources Development Act for the first time in six years.

19 Jul 2013

Are our Ports Safe?

Joan Bondareff

Two recent reports have raised alarms about the security of our ports and the cargo that enters them by containers every day. The top North American container ports handle more than 35 million containers per year bringing vital goods to U.S. homes and companies every day. Without this freight, our economy would be at a standstill. But one nuclear device placed into a shipping container could wreak havoc not just at the port it enters, but also with the surrounding population of our busiest ports such as New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Long Beach.

18 Jul 2013

GPA Prepares for Disasters

Mobile HQ can operate from any location in emergency situations. In the case of a hurricane or any other natural or man-made disaster Georgia Ports Authority’s new Mobile Command Center ensures that data is safe and port operations can continue. The Georgia Ports Authority recently unveiled a new Mobile Command Center (MCC). The MCC is a deployable unit from which the GPA can manage its entire operation. In the case of a hurricane or any other natural or man-made disaster the new unit ensures that data is safe and port operations can continue.

21 Jun 2013

Insights: Kurt J. Nagle, President and Chief Executive Officer Association of Port Authorities

Kurt Nagle needs no introduction to MarineNews readers. With more than 30 years of experience in seaports and international trade, he has since 1995 served as President and Chief Executive Officer for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). Mr. Nagle began working at AAPA, the alliance of the leading public port authorities throughout the Western Hemisphere, in 1985. And, although some may associate him more with ‘bluewater’ issues, Nagle also knows that the health of all U.S.

16 May 2013

Jumping Off the Fiscal Cliff?

You are not alone if you are bewildered by the talk in Washington about “sequester,” “continuing resolution”, “fiscal cliff,” “budget resolutions,” and “debt ceilings.”  Even those of us who think we understand what’s going on have trouble keeping up. This article will break down the talk into segments on the continuing resolution that funds the government for the rest of this fiscal year: the House and Senate budget resolutions, the upcoming debt ceiling fight; and, finally, the President’s budget request for FY2014. The focus is on maritime, transportation and energy programs.

18 Apr 2012

Port Terminals Risk Millions with Lame Grant Strategies

Rick Eyerdam

Forget 2012; work on the funds already awarded. Port terminals risk losing their one last shot at millions in FEMA/DHS Port Security Grant Funds if they don’t act decisively before Sept. 2012. As of Jan. All of the $1 billion that is still sitting in the federal treasury has been dedicated to thousands of  security projects and equipment approved at the highest levels as essential to protect ports against terrorist attacks from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Port Security Grants (PSG). DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered that by Sept.

08 Mar 2012

Ports Urge Congress to Support Port Security Grants

Kurt Nagle, AAPA President and CEO.

At two separate Congressional hearings, representatives of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) emphasized the need for federal support for seaport security and maintenance and improvements to federal navigation channels. Port industry leaders illustrated the challenges underfunding security and dredging pose for national security and U.S. international competitiveness. As the House Appropriations Committee begins work on the Fiscal Year 2013 budget, AAPA executives…

07 Feb 2011

Extension Requests for FEMA Port Security Grants Deadline

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate (GPD issued Information Bulletin 354 announcing that extension requests for FY 2006 Preparedness Grant Programs (including the Port Security Grant Program – PSGP) must be received by FEMA no later than March 31 and that there will be no extensions on FY 2006 performance periods past June 30. (2/1/11). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)

01 Jun 2009

No Cost-Share Security Grants

The Passenger Vessel Association called member attention to the recently enacted economic stimulus bill contains $150m for a new round of financing for competitive Port Security Grants. Program Guidance and Application Kits are available online (www.fema.gov/grants). Many PVA members will be eligible to apply. Several changes from past grant rounds may make these grants potentially more attractive to PVA members. •    There will be no applicant cost share required. Federal grant funds will finance 100 percent of eligible projects. •    Any owner or operator of a MTSA-regulated vessel or facility is eligible to apply. This means that if a vessel or facility is required by the Coast Guard to have an approved security plan, the owner or operator can submit a grant application.

06 Feb 2008

FY’09 Federal Budget Proposal Falls Short For Ports

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) announced it is disappointed that the Bush Administration has proposed still another annual budget that would significantly underfund the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Port Security Grant Program and the portion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works Program that provides crucial navigation access to ports. While the Administration did increase its funding request for a key program that provides incentives to reduce diesel emissions from trucks and other equipment, the increase is far below what Congress authorized for the program. The Administration's budget request calls for a 7.6 percent overall increase in DHS's budget in fiscal 2008, but recommends a huge decrease for port facility security.

04 Feb 2008

$3B for FY'08 Port Security Grant Program

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that over $3 billion is being allocated for various homeland security grant programs in fiscal year 2008. As indicated in the Overview, the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) is funded at $388.6 million for FY08. Eligible applicants for port security grants include: owners and operators of federally regulated terminals, facilities, or US inspected passenger vessels; port authorities or other state and local agencies that provide layered security protection to federally-regulated facilities; consortia of local stakeholders (such as river groups, ports, and terminal associations) representing federally-regulated ports…

29 Sep 2003

DHS Appropriations Bill Approved

The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 2555) has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is now on its way to the White House for signature. Among other things, it provides $4.4 billion to Customs and Border Protection (of which $3 million is to be derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and other monies to be derived from the Customs User Fee Account); $319 million for development of the Automated Commercial Environment; $263 million for maritime and land security expenses of the Transportation Security Administration (of which $125 million is available for port security grants and $17 million is available for Operation Safe Commerce); and $4.7 billion to the U.S.

23 Oct 2003

AAPA: New Security Regulations Will Require Billions in Investment

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and the U.S. acts. security measures. Enhancing seaport security is a top priority for U.S. ports today. Homeland Security (DHS) which takes the lead on maritime security. international sea borders. cooperation and coordination and the funding to meet the law's intent. billion in the first year and $5.45 billion over ten years. heightened security. progress, sustained funds are needed. required under these new regulations. critical to our nation's defense and economic vitality. done with airports. to building a strong homeland defense. Congress to provide $400 million in grant funding in FY'05. funding. DHS from the public port industry perspective," noted Mr. Nagle. control systems as part of their port facility plans.

10 Dec 2003

$179M in Port Grants Released

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced $179,025,900 million dollars in Port Security Grants on December 10. The Port Security Grant Program provides resources for security planning and projects to improve dockside and perimeter security. This grant program represents one layer of the Department of Homeland Security’s system of defenses for ports that includes monitoring the people, cargo and vessels entering our ports from the time they leave a foreign port to the time they arrive in the United States. Secretary Ridge. The Transportation Security Administration, the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration evaluated the Port Security Grant Applications and selected the grant award recipients.

10 Dec 2003

U.S. Ports Laud Additional Federal Security Grants

U.S. ports seeking federal grants for 1,065 security enhancement measures learned today that 442 of the plans will be funded. The news came as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) named recipients of $179,025,900 in the third round of federal grants for port security. new U.S. Coast Guard security regulations that take effect next year. portion of the $125 million in FY '04 appropriations for port security. stated AAPA President Kurt Nagle. enhanced security demands. needs, yet America cannot afford for port security to go underfunded. boost security since 9/11, and expenses continue to rise. U.S. alone. federal grant program for port security. Domestic Preparedness. needed. under the new regulations. role as America's commerce catalyst. trade passing through U.S.