Mapp Announces Over $2 Million In FEMA Grants

ST.  THOMAS — Governor Kenneth Mapp announced on Thursday several significant FEMA grant awards to the territory totaling $2,267,355.

The first grant of $854,000 is for a State Homeland Security Program, and is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by the  Obama administration to help strengthen the nation against risks associated with acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.

The fiscal year 2015 Homeland Security Grant Program plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the national preparedness goal of a secure and resilient Nation.

Another grant totaling $130,136 called Operation Stonegarden, provides funding to enhance cooperation and coordination among local, tribal, territorial, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in a joint mission to secure the United States’ borders along routes of ingress from international borders to include travel corridors in states bordering Mexico and Canada, as well as states and territories with international water borders.

A $942,773 Emergency Management Performance grant provides funding to assist in preparing for all hazards, as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

$340,446 for the port security program provides funding for transportation infrastructure security activities to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans (AMSPs) and facility security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies required to provide port security services.

The purpose of the port security program is to competitively award grant funding to support increased port-wide risk management; enhance domain awareness; conduct training and exercises; expand port recovery and resiliency capabilities; further capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other non-conventional weapons. These activities will assist ports in the implementation of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the Goal of a secure and resilient Nation.

When notified of the grant awards, Governor Mapp stated “I am extremely pleased that our hard work in Washington DC is bearing fruit. These grant monies will help the Territory in many ways. We can secure our ports appropriately and cut down on the illegal trafficking of weapons and better secure our borders.

“We will be able to better prepare for disasters, which unfortunately have caused us great hardship in the past. Finally, with these funds we can insure a safer Territory, which many have heard me say has been a priority for this Administration from day one.”