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Houston, TX- Congressman Gene Green (D-Houston) will be available to the media beginning at 3 p.m. today following his meeting with Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, members of the Port Strategic Security Council Steering Committee, and other port security stakeholders at the Port of Houston Authority, located at 111 East Loop North (exit 29 off East Loop 610, near the Houston Ship Channel Bridge). The working meeting will focus on the implementation of $31 million in federal port security grants awarded to Harris County and the PHA in September 2005.
Congressman Gene Green has held annual port security meetings since 2003. In January 2005, over 100 attendees from the private sector, the Port of Houston, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other local agencies attended the Port Security Grant Workshop at the Port of Houston. After that meeting, the Port Strategic Security Council (PSSC) was formed to seek funding and implement security projects along the Houston Ship Channel.
In September 2005, the Department of Homeland Security awarded $17 million to Harris County and $14 million to the PHA in Round Five of Port Security Grant funding. The Harris County funding will be used for security boats, radars, cameras, underwater sonar, a bomb disruption robot, and radiation detectors, and the PHA grant will be used for card readers, cameras, gates, lights, security stations, and video software.
“Today’s meeting is an update of our area’s port security progress,” said Congressman Gene Green. “Terrorists have targeted assets like oil tankers and refineries before, so we need these projects as soon as possible to protect the community.”
The federal funding will cover capital costs, but not operations and maintenance of the new security infrastructure. “We are going to look at public sources of funding, and we are going to ask the private sector to do their civic duty for Ship Channel security too.”
Congressman Green also intends to ensure that the grants are implemented on time and according to federal standards.
“The federal money will not sit on the table forever,” continued Congressman Gene Green. “With such a large combined award, federal oversight of our projects is expected, both from Congress and DHS.”
The PSSC Steering Committee consists of 11 voting members, and is comprised of representatives from each of the following agencies:
o MTSA Regulated Houston Ship Channel Zone Reps (Industry) (4)
o Harris County
o Port of Houston Authority
o East Harris County Manufacturer’s Association (EHCMA)
o Channel Industries Mutual Aid (CIMA)
o Maritime Community (appointed by West Gulf Maritime Association and
Greater Houston Port Bureau)
o City of Houston
o Cities of East Harris County
Non voting representatives of the Steering Committee are from the following organizations:
o United States Coast Guard
o Customs and Border Protection
o Immigration and Customs Enforcement
o United States Attorney
o Director of Harris County Homeland Security
o Harris County Purchasing Agent
o Harris County Attorney’s Office
o State of Texas
o Harris County Precinct 2
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