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Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced final allocations for 12 preparedness grant programs totaling more than $2.1 billion. The funds will help states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, railroads, ports and other transportation modes bolster security.

Funds were allocated “strictly on an assessment of risks and vulnerabilities” to focus limited federal funding on the highest risk areas, DHS officials said in a prepared statement.

"In today's tight fiscal environment, we are setting clear priorities and focusing on the areas that face the greatest risk to maximize our limited grant dollars," said U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

The grant program recipients and their allocations include the:
• Emergency Management Performance Grants Program, more than $329 million to help state and local governments enhance and sustain all-hazards emergency management capabilities;
• Port Security Grant Program, more than $235 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness and strengthen risk management capabilities;
• Transit Security Grant Program, more than $200 million to help owners and operators of transit systems to protect critical infrastructure from acts of terrorism and “increase the resilience” of transit infrastructure;
• Intercity Passenger Rail Program, more than $22 million to protect critical infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, and “increase the resilience” of Amtrak’s rail system; and
• Freight Rail Security Grant Program, more than $7 million to help freight railroads, owners or lessors of rail cars, and rail bridge owners to protect critical infrastructure from acts of terrorism and “increase the resilience” of the nation’s freight-rail system.