WASHINGTON, D.C.- Mississippi will receive more than $10.5 million in state and local grants. Included into that is $2.0 million for security measures at four ports.
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran said the money comes from the FY2016 appropriations that were approved for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee understands the importance of state and local first responders to homeland security. I am pleased that Mississippi organizations successfully competed for available funding to improve local and state emergency preparedness and public safety,” Cochran said.
The following FEMA grants awarded to Mississippi total $10,524,466:
· $4,556,932 in Emergency Management Performance Grant funding for the State of Mississippi to support state, local, and tribal emergency preparedness for the protection of life and property.
· $3,734,500 in State Homeland Security Program Grant formula funding to the State of Mississippi to implement state homeland security strategies, including mitigation, response and recovery from terrorism and other catastrophic events.
· $2,053,034 in competitive Port Security Grant Program funding to implement Area Maritime Transportation and Facility Security Plans to provide port security at four Mississippi ports: Pascagoula, $1.0 million; Tishomingo County/Yellow Creek Port/Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, $477,172; Vicksburg, $446,580; and, Gulfport, $129,282.
· $180,000 in competitive Operation Stonegarden Grant funding to support law enforcement agencies to strengthen border security and enforcement in states with land or international water borders. Three coastal counties will utilize this grant funding: Jackson County, $100,000; Hancock County, $40,000; and Harrison County, $40,000.
