The Department of Homeland Security has awarded the Washington-Baltimore region $18.2 million to protect its trains, buses and ferries, a 26 percent increase over last year.
In all, the federal government will distribute $445 million to protect the nation’s ports and subways, up from nearly $400 last year.
The National Capital Region received the second highest amount behind New York, which was granted $61 million. The Boston area received $15.3 million, followed by the San Francisco Bay area at $13.8 million.
Recipients will have to submit plans explaining how they plan to use the money to reduce their risk of a terror attack, and regional transportation officials will determine how the money will be divided, said DHS spokesperson Joanna Gonzalez.
Metro officials were pleased with the increase this year, spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said.
“They certainly recognized the risks that face our region,” Taubenkibel said.
Metro will determine how it will spend its portion after it gets more guidance from DHS on what the grants can be spent on, Taubenkibel said. In the past, Metro used the money toward the construction of an alternative operations control center that will be used in case the main control center becomes inoperable.
The passenger rail company Amtrak also received $8.3 million, nearly half of which could go toward its passenger service between Washington and Boston, according to a spokeswoman. The grant was an 12 percent increase compared to last year.
Amtrak will use the grant to pay for additional radiological detectors, emergency drills, passenger information and expand the canine and explosive detection units, a spokeswoman said.
The Jamestown Ferry in Virginia received $235,000. It was one of 16 ferries around the country to receive the grant money.
