“It is very encouraging news that the Providence area is now eligible for UASI funding,” said Langevin. “I have long supported the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that homeland security funding be allocated based on risk, and I am glad DHS has finally recognized that Providence should be eligible for urban area funding, as the city contains several critical infrastructure targets that could be vulnerable to a terrorist attack.”

According to the Census Bureau, the Providence-Warwick-Fall River, MA, metropolitan statistical area is home to more than 1 million residents. This bi-state area includes Rhode Island's state capital as well as large employers in the manufacturing, finance, health care, and chemical industries. Providence contains several potential targets, including a liquefied natural gas facility, Rhode Island's only level 1 trauma center, and the Port of Providence, a key shipping center for New England. These facilities are vital to the safety and economy of the Northeast. In addition to its position as a major connector on the rail line that connects New York and Boston, the city's proximity to these urban areas could make Providence an enticing target to terrorists, as its neighbors are much better protected with UASI funds.

In 2006, Langevin, along with his colleague Congressman Patrick Kennedy, authored a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking that Providence be added to the exclusive list of 35 U.S. cities eligible to apply for UASI funds.

Rhode Island received a total of $7,837,616 from the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2006, which represents a fifty percent cut from FY2005. The state’s homeland security funding is currently allocated through the State Homeland Security Grant Program and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program. This allotment, however, stands to increase with the UASI designation, which will allow Providence to apply for a portion of the $747 million which has been appropriated for the UASI program nationwide for FY2007.

“It is no secret that first responders in Rhode Island and across the country are being asked to do more with less,” Langevin continued. “However, having the Providence area on the UASI list will provide an opportunity for Rhode Island to receive more funding to strengthen public safety programs in our communities. As this new process begins, I pledge to continue to fight for all of Rhode Island’s first responders, and I will work to ensure that Providence remains eligible for the UASI program in years to come.”

For more information about the application process, visit http://www.house.gov/langevin/grants/index.shtml.

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