Friday, January 12, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Announces $1.2 Million to Protect Missouri’s Critical Infrastructure
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt announced this week that Missouri will receive nearly $1.2 million to protect critical infrastructure in the state. The grant funding is available as part of the Buffer Zone Protection Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“These grants are an essential funding source for security projects that will assist our state and local efforts in protecting Missouri’s security,” Blunt said. “We welcome this assistance to help protect our state’s critical infrastructure which could be targets for terrorism and other threats.”
The Buffer Zone Protection Program provides both funding and coordination in bringing federal, state and local levels of government, law enforcement and the private sector together to create Buffer Zone Plans to reduce vulnerabilities in areas surrounding critical infrastructure and key resources. The funds are spent on improving security around sites that have been identified as high priority critical infrastructure targets.
Last year, Missouri received $756,000 for the program which was designated to secure four sites. At the national level, DHS distributed $400 million for a variety of infrastructure protection programs. Missouri’s critical infrastructure list is a secure document only viewed by those with security clearance or on a need to know basis.
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