Department of Homeland Security Appropriations

Project Name: Newark Emergency Operations Center Interoperability Equipment

Recipient: City of Newark

Address: 920 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Description: The funding would be used to undertake efforts to construct an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to protect citizens and the region. The Newark EOC would enhance emergency management capabilities within the jurisdiction by addressing the specific needs cited in the New Jersey State Preparedness Report (SPR) for a central platform on the local level, which is also interoperable with regional, state and other local EOCs. 

Value to Taxpayer: The City of Newark is designated a core city and a Tier 1 Urban Area because of its unique infrastructure, potential terrorist targets and high population density. Newark's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) would be a platform for information and data exchanges to respond to any catastrophic event within Newark or in neighboring jurisdictions.  Fully capable emergency operations facilities at the local level are an essential element of all comprehensive national emergency management systems and are necessary to ensure continuity of operations (COOP) and continuation of government (COG) in major disasters caused by any hazard or catastrophic incident. 

Project Name: Hudson County Emergency Management Operations Facility

Recipient: Hudson County

Address: 583 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, 07306

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Description: The funding would be used to renovate an existing facility to provide an adequately sized, properly equipped space to coordinate the planning, risk-identification, communications, decision making, and response capabilities required to adequately protect the lives, safety and welfare of the citizens of Hudson County.  

Value to Taxpayer: Given Hudson County's high-risk status as a target for man-made and/or natural disasters, the County has identified a priority need for an Emergency Management Operations Center (EOC).  This project would benefit the hundreds of thousands of people who live and work in Hudson County, as well as those in the surrounding area including New York City, since the County also plays an important role in providing ancillary support to New York City in case of any emergency.  It would significantly increase the County's preparedness and ability to deal with a disaster.

Project Name: NHRFR Technology Project   

Recipient: North Hudson Fire and Rescue      

Address: 11 Port Imperial Boulevard, West New York, New Jersey 07093

Amount Requested: $500,000

Project Description: The funding would be used for an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for NHRFR to handle daily monitoring, incident management and the coordination of major incidents, emergencies and disasters.  An EOC enables the NHRFR to centralize and coordinate information, as well as effectuate response and recovery during an emergency.

Value to Taxpayer: NHRFR is the lead organization for fire and rescue for the Lincoln/Holland Tunnels, PATH, Amtrak, NJ Transit and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail tunnels, NY Waterways and the North NJ control apparatus for the Intercontinental Natural Gas Pipeline.  This investment would provide for multi-agency coordination for incident management and would help decrease and mitigate risks within the Hudson/Essex /Jersey City/Newark region as well as at the critical transportation links and junctures within New York City.

Project Name: Vehicle Screening Center

Recipient: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Address: 225 Park Avenue S., New York, NY 10003

Amount Requested: $100,000,000

Project Description: The funding would be used to support the construction of the World Trade Center Vehicular Security Center and Tour Bus Facility (VSC).  This would be both a portal and the crossroad where the critical functions of logistics and security converge.  These functions would take place in a secure, underground structure with state-of-the-art security screening technologies.

Value to Taxpayer: The Port Authority had made security the number one priority in the rebuilding of the WTC site, a national symbol of American resilience.  Securing the buildings and surrounding structures through a combination of strategies, including cutting edge technology, surveillance, screening, and hardening, the agency would strive to protect and deter future terrorist attacks.

Project Name: PATH Tunnel Improvement Program

Recipient: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Address: 225 Park Ave. South, 15th floor, New York, NY 10003-1604

Amount Requested: $200,000,000 

Project Description: The funding would be used to make security enhancements and capital improvements to the underwater PATH tunnels, including the installation of a water management system, tunnel erosion protection, and other structural modifications.

Value to Taxpayer: The PATH Tunnel Improvement Program would secure the aging tunnels and ensure the safety and security of its more than 250,000 daily weekday passengers. This project is of critical significance to the region, as the PATH system serves as a vital transportation link between New Jersey and New York, serving both the New Jersey and New York financial markets.  PATH also connects with NJ Transit Rail, Bus and Light Rail, Amtrak, MTA's New York City Transit subway system, and the Long Island Railroad.  This project would also create an estimated 1,100 construction jobs in New York and New Jersey.