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GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING FOR THREE UPSTATE URBAN AREAS
Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany Join New York City and Buffalo on U.S .List of Urban Areas

Governor Eliot Spitzer and Director of the New York State Office of Homeland Security (OHS) Brigadier General F. David Sheppard today announced that three additional Upstate urban areas - Rochester, Syracuse and Albany - will be eligible to receive Homeland Security funding under the federal Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) program.

The federal Department of Homeland Security included the three Upstate urban areas among 14 that were added to the list of cities this year, which are considered at high risk of terror attack. They join urban areas of New York City and Buffalo, which have been on the list of major cities since its inception in 2003. UASI money will help enhance local governments' ability to prepare for and respond to threats or incidents of terrorism.

“Securing our homeland is one of our most important responsibilities, and since September 11th, New York State has fought tirelessly to obtain funding to help us carry out this critical task,” said Governor Spitzer. “This announcement represents a risk-based approach that also recognizes the manner in which New York State has worked in partnership with local governments to prioritize security objectives and to pursue those objectives as part of our coordinated statewide homeland security strategy.”

OHS Director Sheppard said: “We are extremely pleased that the Rochester, Syracuse and Albany urban areas have been included in the UASI program. The State will maximize the resources available through the DHS grants including UASI, by distributing the funds pursuant to a risk-based approach developed by OHS. This risk-based formula includes a number of factors such as population, urban areas, state and national icons or symbols, risk assessments as well as critical infrastructure. We look forward to working with each urban area to enhance our preparedness and security capabilities.”

The UASI program focuses on the unique planning, equipment, training and exercise needs of select urban areas and assists them in building sustainable capacity to prevent, protect, respond, and recover from acts of terrorism.

UASI eligible applicants are determined through a risk-based formula that considers three primary variables: consequence, vulnerability, and threat. Areas are designated into a two-tier system and divide the available funds. New York City is in the top tier and will be competing with six other higher-risk areas for about $430 million this year. The Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany areas are in the second tier and will be competing with 49 other areas for about $352 million. UASI funding allocations are not known at this time and will be determined later in the year.