ALBANY – The Department of Homeland Security has awarded New York State $245 million for four homeland security grants programs, a 54 percent increase from 2007 levels. Included in this amount is $175.38 million for transit security projects. DHS agreed to boost New York’s 2008 transit security grant allocation from an initial award of $153.3 million to $175.38 million. The Metropolitan Transportation Administration will use the additional $22 million to harden and secure the region’s suspension bridges. For the four major grants, New York State received 29.6 percent of the entire national award.

DHS also announced that New York’s share of 2008 port security grant funding would increase 14 percent over last year’s allocation to $49.8 million. The New York-New Jersey port will receive $45.5 million, an increase from the $42.1 million it received in 2007. The Port of Albany will receive $2,049,264, an increase from the $378,998 it received in 2007. The Port of Buffalo will see an increase to $1,495,294 from the $531,569 it received in 2007. Other port areas in New York State will also receive $837,000 in port security grant funds. The State’s share of buffer zone protection funding for 2008 remained even with an award of $4.4 million. The Buffer Zone Protection Program provides grants to build security and risk-management capabilities at critical infrastructure sites throughout the state. The state will also receive $13.2 million in emergency management grants, a 16 percent increase over 2007 funding which was $11.3 million.