DETROIT ? The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority received $1.6 million from the Department of Homeland Security to continue development of a Risk Mitigation Plan for the Port of Detroit.
The port, in three rounds of funding, has received $4.5 million from Homeland Security. Nationwide, Homeland Security has awarded $844 million in funding for fiscal year 2008, as part of its Infrastructure Protection Activities Grant Program,
including over $388 million for its Port Security Grant Program.
“This is welcomed news,” said Curtis Hertel, Executive Director of the
DWCPA. “We are thankful that the federal government has come to understand
and appreciate the critical importance of our international port and
waterway to the regional and national economy. We look forward to working
with our regional homeland security counterparts to make good use of our
funding.?
John Kerr, Director of Economic Development & Grand Management for DWCPA, said the port authority?s goal is to address homeland security vulnerabilities through
this program.
?However we can also accomplish economic development goals by encouraging regional and national companies to help us address our needs,” Kerr said. “We should use this grant program as a springboard to make
Southeast Michigan a hotbed for homeland security technology, similar to
what NextEnergy and Automation Alley have been able to accomplish for
alternative energy and advanced automotive.”
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