Halesite, NY - Sept. 4, 2018 - Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci and Councilman Eugene Cook are pleased to announce that on August 24, the Town of Huntington was awarded $333,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) FY 2018 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) to replace a 22-year-old patrol vessel.
Supervisor Lupinacci and Councilman Cook co-sponsored a resolution at the April 10 Town Board Meeting applying for the FEMA Port Security Grant.
“This FEMA Port Security Grant will provide great assistance to our bay constables on their patrols as they ensure the safety of Huntington’s waterways,” said Supervisor Lupinacci.
“We’re thrilled to have this support and recognition from our federal partners concerning the replacement of our patrol vessel proving the importance of the safety and security of Huntington’s boaters and waterways,” stated Councilman Cook.
The Town of Huntington was ranked 9th in Investment Justification, or need, by the U.S. Coast Guard out of 31 applicants for port security grants in the Long Island Sound Captain of the Port zone. The Town’s 22-year-old patrol vessel is near the end of its life due to frequent and demanding usage, its engine already having been replaced once.
The Town of Huntington is one of 10 applicants that have succeeded in receiving 2018 PSGP funding. Huntington has received $333,000 of the total of $1,960,101 in funding for the Long Island Sound Captain of the Port zone.
The Town Board voted on April 10 to appropriate $110,000 from the Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Reserve Fund to serve as a 25% match to the $330,000 funding, a condition of receiving the FEMA Port Security Grant.
The FY 2018 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) provides $100,000,000 for transportation infrastructure security activities to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans (AMSPs) and facility security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies required to provide port security services. The purpose of the FY 2018 PSGP is to competitively award grant funding to support increased port-wide risk management; enhance domain awareness; conduct training and exercises; expand port recovery and resiliency capabilities; further capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons.