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Home My WebLink AboutPR 15170: FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR BUFFER ZONE PROTECTION PROGRAMMemorandum To: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager From: Mark Blanton, Chief of Police Date: March 26, 2009 Re: PR 15170 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Mayor and City Manager to apply for federal grant funding within the Fiscal Year 2009 Buffer Zone Protection Program. The Department of Homeland Security and the Govemor's Division of Emergency Management recently approved and designated the Golden Pass Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Site on State Highway 87 as a Buffer Zone Protection Plan site. Eligible funding for this award is up to 5194,000 and is equally divided between the City of Port Arthur and Jefferson County, Texas. BACKGROUND: The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) is one of five grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Fiscal Year 2009 focus on infrastructure security activities. The BZPP is one tool to help strengthen the nation's critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks. BUDGETARY/FISCAL EFFECT: None. STAFFING/EMPLOYEE EFFECT: None. SUMMARY: It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Mayor and City Manager to apply for federal grant funding within the Fiscal Yeaz 2009 Buffer Zone Protection Program. The Department of Homeland Security and the Governor's Division of Emergency Management recently approved and designated the Golden Pass Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Site on State Highway 87 as a Buffer Zone Protection Plan site. Eligible funding for this award is up to $194,000 and is equally divided between the City of Port Arthur and Jefferson County, Texas. JO:sz P. R. NO. 15170 3/26/09 JO RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 BUFFER ZONE PROTECTION PROGRAM. ELIGIBLE FUNDING FOR THIS AWARD IS UP TO $194,000 AND IS EQUALLY DIVH)ED BETR'EEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security and the Governor's Division of Emergency Management recently approved and designated the Golden Pass Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Site on State Highway 87 as a Buffer Zone Protection Plan site; and WHEREAS, eligible funding for this award is up to $194,000 and is equally divided between the City of Port Arthur and Jefferson County, Texas; and WHEREAS, the Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) is one of five grant programs that constitute the Deparhnent of Homeland Security (DHS) Fiscal Year 2009 focus on infrastructure security activities; and WHEREAS, the BZPP is one tool to help strengthen the nation's critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: Section 1. That the facts and opinions in the preamble are true and correct. Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Port Arthur authorizes the Mayor and City Manager to apply for federal grant funding within the Fiscal Year 2009 Buffer Zone Protection Program, as delineated in Exhibit "A". Section 3. That a copy of the caption of this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED this day of , 2009, at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas, by the following vote: Mayor AYES: NOES: Mayor Deloris Prince ATTEST: Tern Hanks, City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mark Sokolow, City Attorney APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager «~» ~!a!~IX~ G Uru!mi !'ruu<'rvnr uuri lTu•• ~;!ns. I .L Dcpaf9 meni nr Nrnrteland ticairitc Washington, DC 20528 EYNl52.j fy0 :~~ ~Ha~~~~T~~ ~~ND SF // November 5, 2008 MEMORANDUM FOR: State and Territorial Hom an~d~Security Advisors FROM: William F. Flynn e;~~~ ;~. Director Protective Security Coordination Division SUBJECT: Fiscal Yeaz 2009 State Buffer Zone Protection Program Site Selections Funding Priorities The Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP), as a component of the Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP), provides funds to increase the prepazedness capabilities of responsible jurisdictions in communities surrounding high priority critical infrastructure and key resource (CIKR) assets through planning and equipment acquisition. The BZPY assists these jurisdictions in building effective prevention and protection capabili#ies that will make it more dit~'icult for terrorists to conduct surveillance or launch attacks within the immediate vicinity of selected CIKR assets. The Buffer Zone Plans (BZPs) address: • Identify significant assets at the site(s) that may be targeted by terrorists for attack; • Identify specific threats and vulnerabilities associated with the sites}; • Develop an appropriate buffer zone extending outward from the facility in which preventative and protective measures can be employed to make it more difficult for terrorists to conduct sight surveillance or launch attacks; • Identify all applicable law enforcement jurisdictions and other Federal, State, and local agencies having a role in the prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist threats or attacks specific to the site(s) and appropriate points of contact within these organizations; • Evaluate the capabilities of the responsible jurisdictions with respect to terrorism prevention and response; and • Identify specific planning, equipment, training, and/or exercise requirements to better enable jurisdictions to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities of the site(s) and its buffer zone. In developing and implementing the BZPs, security and prepazedness officials at all levels should seek opportunities to coordinate and leverage funding from multiple sources, including Federal, State, and local resources. Methodolo>rv "the BZPP risk methodology is consistent across al] IPP grants and is linked to the risk methodology used to determine eligibility for the core Department of Homeland Security (DHS) State and local grant programs. Leveraging information collected through State data calls and Federal Sector Specific Agency (SSA) input, DHS has made substantial gains in the accuracy of data incorporated into its analysis to yield a better understanding of the relative risk to specific CIKR sites. This improvement provides DHS with the ability to focus the allocation of BZPP resources to those jurisdictions responsible for the highest risk sites. Through the FY 2009 BZPP, DHS continues to build on its cross-sector baseline CIKR knowledge and the systematic approach initiated in FY 2006 to focus sufficient resources to reduce the risk associated with the highest priority CIKR assets across certain tazgeted sectors. These include: • Highest consequence dams • High consequence liquefied natural gas facilities and oil refineries • Highest consequence chemical facilities • Critical telecommunications facilities • Critical waterhvastewater systems • Centers for Disease Control Tier 2 stockpile repositories • Critical pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities • Critical banking and finance facilities • Biohazard Safety Level-3 facilities • High risk international, suspension bridges and rail yards DHS worked with Federal SSAs to establish Tier 1 and sector-by-sector criteria for Tier 2 assets that would identify those CIKR sites having inherently greater consequence potential than other assets within their sectors. DHS then worked with States to identify assets that met these criteria. Sites nominated by the States through this process were subsequently validated by the Federal SSAs. CIKR sites that may otherwise meet the criteria identified above, but aze not being addressed through the FY 2009 BZPP, include: Sites that have been sufficiently addressed through prior ~_rants; Sites eligible for funding through other Homeland Security Grant Program and;or IPP funding that more directly address risks associated with the speci tic site; and Sites, particularly those associated with systems, whose risks DHS has determined may be more appropriately addressed in future program years. The FY 2009 BZPP builds upon the FY 2006 BZPP and methodology. Subsequently, DHS prioritized the Tier 1 and Tier 2 assets and each year systematically applies available funds to work through the list of assets. Based upon the results of DHS' prioritization work with your State or territory, the sites in your State or territory that have been selected for the FY 2009 BZPP are also attached to the e-mail. Any additional questions or issues regarding the site selection list should be directed to your Protective Security Advisor (PSA) or the PSA Duty Desk at psadutvdesk(a~hg.dhs.gov or 703-235- 5724. W e look forwazd to continued cooperation and partnership with you on this important program.