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# Feds promise more funding
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/feds-promise-more-funding/
- Published: 2008-02-05T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T18:20:23.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press Staff*

SACRAMENTO Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday announced that California will see a dramatic increase in port security funding as well as millions more for transit security under allocations by the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The governor and his Office of Homeland Security (OHS), led by director Matthew Bettenhausen, have been heavily involved in pushing Congress and DHS for California’s fair share of this funding for port security, considering California ports handle nearly half the nation’s container-ized goods.

“I applaud the federal government’s action to more than double the funding for port security in California,” Schwarzenegger said. “We must continue our efforts to upgrade the state’s security infrastructure and ultimately protect the lives and property of Californians. Federal officials clearly understand the unique risks facing our state and recognize the significant work that has been done in California so far.”

California’s share of the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) for fiscal year 2008 increased to almost $65 million, up dramatically from $32 million in 2007\. The state’s share is about one-sixth of the total national allocation of $388 million dollars.

Funding from the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) for California also saw a significant increase. California will receive more than $41.5 million dollars in fiscal year ‘08, up $6 million from $31.5 million in ‘07\. In addition, transit agencies in San Diego and Sacramento will be eligible for a portion of $38 million in available grant funding.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also announced grant guidance for several other programs. Of note is the addition of the Riverside standard metropolitan statistical area (including the cities of Riverside, San Bernardino and Ontario) to the list of urban areas eligible for Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) funds, which total $781 million. Tier One cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco will compete for a portion of $430 million, while Tier Two cities (53 total, now including the Riverside area) will compete for a share of about $352 million.

The Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas are also eligible for additional funding this fiscal year under the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant program (RCPG).

“This additional program will certainly advance our mission and ability to deter, prevent,prepare for,respond to,and recover from any incident of terrorism, natural, or other man-made disasters,” Bettenhausen said.

Specifically, the port areas of Los Angeles- Long Beach, San Francisco, and San Diego will receive $64.8 million combined for port security improvements. ■ Los Angeles-Long Beach: $36,390,481 ■ Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, Stockton): $25,533,655 ■ San Diego: $2,898,611 In addition Port Hueneme is eligible to apply for grant funding from a national total of $19 million.

In mass transit grants California systems in the Bay Area and Los Angeles-Orange County received the following allocations: ■ Bay Area $28,259,722 ■ Los Angeles / Orange County Urban Areas $13,333,679 Systems in San Diego and Sacramento are eligible to submit projects to compete for $38.8 million in available funding nationwide for these smaller mass transit systems.

California has used such grant funding in the past for increasing the number of urban search and rescue teams, swift water rescue teams, enhancing and protecting critical infrastructure such as the Trans Bay tube and disaster medical assistance teams that were of vital importance and assistance in last year’s wildfires.

Since its creation in 2003, OHS has administered over $1.6 billion in homeland security grants. All of California’s 58 counties have received homeland security funds to purchase equipment, provide training and develop strategies and plans to both prevent acts of terrorism and respond to emergencies, according to the governor’s press office.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 5, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/020508.pdf?ref=smdp.com)