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Feds approve $600K unspent FEMA grant for seaport needs
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Posted on Jul 25 2011
The Commonwealth Ports Authority has been approved to use an unspent federal grant in fiscal year 2009 for its immediate needs at its seaports, according to executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero.
He said a $600,000 grant awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the ports authority in fiscal year 2009 was never used within the prescribed period.
At a recent conference in San Francisco sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Deleon Guerrero recommended the use of the unspent FEMA grant for immediate projects at the seaports. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
“This [funding] has been sitting in our books. We can’t spend it after 2009 because we have not received any approval to use it. I met with FEMA and the granting agency and they approved CPA’s recommendation based on the proposal of how the $600,000 will be used,” said Deleon Guerrero.
Using the unused federal monies, CPA was allowed to buy two boat engines and a first responders’ vehicle for the ports police.
Deleon Guerrero described the feds’ approval as a great help for the agency because it will help alleviate the use of local revenues to purchase these needed ports equipment.
Besides the $600,000 from FEMA, CPA has also been assured of another grant from the Department of Homeland Security amounting to $800,000. Deleon Guerrero said CPA’s grant application has already been received by the granting agency and has had initial approval.
The additional funds will be used to buy 110 radios for the ports police and upgrade CPA’s communication system.
Deleon Guerrero said the San Francisco conference tackled the proper use of grants provided by DHS.
