The Washington, D.C., region has been spared from nationwide cuts to anti-terror funds awarded by the Department of Homeland Security.
Over 30 cities will no longer be eligible for the funds, as budget cuts eliminated about $170 million from the department’s Urban Areas Security Initiative. Most cities in Maryland and Virginia were also spared from the budget cuts, with the exception of Richmond.
Overall, $780 million was cut from homeland security grants this year, as the department narrowed its focused on the highest risk cities that continue to face terrorist threats.
“In today’s tight fiscal environment, we are maximizing limited grant dollars by setting clear priorities and focusing on the areas that face the greatest risk,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. “The FY 2011 homeland security grants are focused on mitigating and responding to the evolving threats we face.”
The Urban Areas Security Initiative, launched in 2003 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, initially provided grants to New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and Washington, D.C. In years since the department has expanded the program by making more cities eligible for the funds, which now provide millions annually.
While 64 cities were eligible in fiscal 2010, only 31 cities will receive the grants this year.
The D.C. region will receive more than $16 million in 2011, the same amount as in 2010. The department did cut about $3 million from funds for Baltimore and cut $2 million for Norfolk, home of the largest naval base on the east coast.
Richmond had received about $2.6 million through the program last year.
Among those cities cut from the program are New Orleans, Austin, Tx., Sacramento, Syracuse and Buffalo.
