Projects supported by these funds will not only make the country safer and more secure, but they also will create new jobs, and in some cases, save the jobs of men and women who do the work of staying ahead of those who would seek to do us harm.

St. Elizabeths/DHS Headquarters Consolidation:

* $650 million ($200 million to DHS; $450 million to GSA)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

* $720 million for construction at land ports of entry ($300 million GSA; $420 million CBP)
* $100 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology
* $100 million for border technology on the southwest border
* $60 million for tactical communications equipment and radios

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

* $20 million for ICE automation modernization and tactical communications

Transportation Security Administration:

* $1 billion for explosives detection systems and checkpoint screening equipment

U.S. Coast Guard:

* $142 million for Alteration of Bridges program
* $98 million for construction, which may include the following:
o Shore facilities and aids to navigation facilities
o Vessel repair/acquisition (includes High Endurance Cutter, National Security Cutter)

Federal Emergency Management Agency:

* $100 million for Emergency Food and Shelter Program
* $150 million for transit and rail security grants
* $150 million for port security grants, no non-federal match required
* $210 million for Assistance to Firefighter (AFG) grants for firehouse construction; maximum grant is $15.0M
* $5 million expansion in authority for FEMA Community Disaster Loans
* Requires the establishment of an arbitration panel to resolve Katrina/Rita public assistance disputes
* Requires FEMA to accept additional applications for Katrina/Rita public assistance
* All non-federal matching requirements for SAFER grants waived for FY 2009-2010

DHS Office of Inspector General:

* $5 million to conduct related oversight and audits

Source = DOH

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management. Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.com.

The Vice President made the announcement as part of a visit to North Carolina – the state where the 10,000th project, the Sanford Bypass, will break ground. The contractor, DHG Infrastructure, says they are hiring more than 45 employees to work on the project. The $26 million project, which was accelerated by the Recovery Act, will redirect commercial truck traffic away from the heart of the city of Sanford, relieving congestion and maintenance problems, and increasing access for businesses to relocate and expand in the area.

“The 10,000 transportation projects under way are already helping put us on the road to economic recovery, but there is even more to come,” said Vice President Biden. “This spring, Recovery Act projects will pick up the pace across the country, providing even more jobs improving America’s roads, highways and bridges.”

In just one year, the Recovery Act has improved more than 33,000 miles of pavement across the United States; helped purchase nearly 12,000 buses, vans and rail vehicles; helped construct or renovate more than 850 transit facilities and provided more than $620 million in preventive maintenance. This helped save and create jobs, and maintained and enhanced the nation’s transportation network. In addition to the 10,000 projects already under way, construction activity is expected to ramp up even further in the next few months as temperatures warm and new projects break ground.

“Every new Recovery Act project means workers back on the job, paying their rent or mortgage, putting food on the table for their families,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These 10,000 projects are strengthening our economy and creating jobs right now, and there are more projects still to come this spring.”

During the first week of March, the U.S. Department of Transportation successfully met an aggressive deadline to “obligate” – or commit funds to specific projects – 100 percent of their Recovery Act highway and transit formula dollars. That important milestone means that for every Recovery Act project, contracts can be bid, workers can be hired and construction can begin on projects that create jobs and drive economic growth.

In addition to the Sanford Bypass Project, some other major Recovery Act-funded projects under construction include:

I-4/Selmon Expressway in Tampa. Because of $105 million in Recovery Act funds, construction began earlier this month on the $653 million I-4/Selmon Expressway Crosstown Connector in Tampa. The project will provide direct access for the more than 12,000 commercial trucks that travel through downtown to and from the Port of Tampa every day.

DART Orange Line in Dallas. Recovery Act funds totaling $61.2 million are helping Dallas Area Rapid Transit construct the 14-mile Orange Line, which will eventually link Downtown Dallas and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Nelsonville Bypass in Southeast Ohio. Ohio is constructing a new, 8.5 mile, four-lane highway to divert freight traffic from U.S. 33, which bottlenecks in the town of Nelsonville. Recovery Act funds totaling $138 million are helping fund this final upgrade of the U.S. 33 corridor in southeast Ohio that will take traffic off local roads, which carry 1,700 trucks a day on one of the busiest truck routes in the state.

Merritt Parkway, near Fairfield, Conn. Recovery Act funds in the amount of $67 million are improving safety for the estimated 60,000 daily drivers who use the Merritt Parkway by widening shoulders and installing or updating guard rails along 9.3 miles of one of the East Coast’s most congested commuter routes.

South Westnedge Avenue Interchange on I-94 near Kalamazoo, Mich. Last fall, the Recovery Act fully funded this $47.7 million project to reconstruct the interchange and ease traffic congestion along this key Midwest corridor that serves an estimated 87,000 drivers daily. One additional lane will be added in each direction to widen the road from four lanes to six, allowing cars and trucks to move through Kalamazoo more safely and easily.

Source = Department of Transportation

“Our goal is to develop a national high-speed rail network, create good jobs here in America and help reinvigorate our manufacturing base,” said Secretary LaHood. “We know these are tough economic times for many folks and we believe that U.S. rail manufacturers and suppliers will benefit greatly from this new program. We also look forward to establishing joint ventures with foreign firms who can provide expertise and establish or expand their operations here in the U.S.”

LaHood made his announcement at a discussion with more than 100 business leaders, union representatives, industry groups and experts on President Obama’s vision for the development of high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail in Washington, DC.

In April, President Obama released a strategic plan outlining his vision for high speed rail in America. The plan identifies $8 billion provided in the Recovery Act and $1 billion a year for five years requested in the federal budget as a down payment to jump-start the program.

“We believe that the President’s plan for high-speed rail will provide a real transportation alternative for millions of Americans, while also creating jobs in many communities throughout the country,” said Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Joe Szabo.

Support for the program has been strong nationwide. The Federal Railroad Administration has received numerous grant applications from states and groups of states. This includes 45 applications from 24 states totaling approximately $50 billion to advance large high-speed rail corridor programs and 214 applications from 34 states totaling $7 billion for corridor planning and smaller projects. Award announcements will be made this winter.

These proposals aim to spur economic development while providing Americans with clean, energy-efficient transportation choices in the decades to come.

A live webcast of the event, as well as an archived version, can be viewed at: www.tvworldwide.com/events/dot/091204.

Below is a list of rail manufacturers and suppliers that have committed to establish or expand their base of operations in the United States and American manufacturing jobs if they are chosen by states or groups of states to build America’s next generation high-speed rail lines or improve intercity passenger rail service:

GE Transportation
Wabtec
Columbus Steel Castings
Bombardier
ALSTOM
TALGO
Kawasaki Rail Car
Siemens
Hyundai Rotem USA
Motive Power
National Railway Equipment Company
CAF USA
US Railcar
Nippon Sharyo
Electro-Motive Diesel
Ansaldo STS
Lockheed Martin
Safetran Systems Corporation
Tangent Rail
Amsted Rail
AnsaldoBreda
American Railcar Industries
CXT Tie
Railroad Controls
A&K Railroad Materials
Cleveland Track Material, Inc
New York Air Brake
Plasser American
Simmons Machine Tool
Ellcon-National
Harsco Rail
ORX Railway

Before the press conference, the group toured the Manchester Airport Access Road construction site. Thanks to Recovery Act funds, the project will be completed two years ahead of schedule. Construction began in August 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in July 2012.

“I’m glad to be back in New Hampshire to get a fresh look at how this state is investing Recovery Act dollars to improve transportation and create good-paying jobs,” said Secretary LaHood. “Working together, we’re going to revitalize our economy, save jobs, and make long-term investments in the kind of infrastructure that the people of New Hampshire need and deserve.”

“Here in New Hampshire we have worked quickly to get Recovery funds out the door so that we can put people to work and improve our transportation infrastructure. These funds have allowed us to accelerate important projects for New Hampshire’s transportation future,” Governor Lynch said. “I want to thank Secretary LaHood for again taking time to come and see firsthand how we have invested these federal dollars on projects that will improve safety and economic development here in New Hampshire.”

“The Manchester Airport Access Road construction site project is critical for New Hampshire economic development,” said Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter. “This is another shining example of how responsible investments of tax dollars benefit New Hampshire, create jobs, and stimulate our economy.”

The project, which will create a new, two-mile highway, will provide access to 1,000 acres of prime industrial and commercial land for economic development in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The total cost of the project is estimated at $175 million, of which $15 million is ARRA funded. According to NHDOT, the project has employed over 200 people and created 26 full-time jobs as a result of ARRA funding.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is making $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge and airport construction and repairs nationwide. Of the $129.4 million available in Recovery Act funds for highway and bridge construction for New Hampshire, $120.8 million or 93 percent has been obligated. Overall, contractor bids have averaged ten percent below project estimates.

“This review validates the thorough, transparent and merit-based processes the Department has used to distribute its Recovery Act dollars for projects vital to our economic and national security,” said Secretary Napolitano.” Through smart management and the hard work and dedication of CBP employees, we have driven down the cost of current projects by an average of 25 percent per port project. The Department shares the goals of our partners in Congress to strengthen the security of our borders and ensure the safety of our officers working on the front lines while driving down costs by cutting any elements of these projects that are not mission-critical.”

The independent committee—comprised of experts in security, construction, contracting, and procurement—determined that CBP’s plans were “based on a set of practical, thoughtful and thorough criteria that allows CBP to meet the goals of the Recovery Act while simultaneously addressing CBP’s pressing recapitalization needs.” The committee concluded that, by utilizing independent government cost estimates, competitive procurement processes and substantial consultation with field, architectural and engineering specialists, CBP followed “merit-based processes that avoid lavish spending on the new facilities.”

The review – echoing concerns raised by Congress, the GAO and the DHS Inspector General on the current state of our Northern Border ports of entry – expressed alarm that, without new construction, the ports fail to “provide the tools needed…[to] guard against terrorist threats,” endangering law enforcement personnel and falling far short of post-9/11 security standards.

In response to the recommendations in the review, Secretary Napolitano has directed CBP to proceed with its current port modernization projects to address critical national security needs within the timelines prescribed by the Recovery Act; redeploy any cost savings accrued through the current port modernization projects to additional CBP-owned ports of entry within the timeline prescribed by the Recovery Act; and continue reviewing contract awards for non-essential capital costs. If any are found, CBP will redeploy savings to additional port modernization projects.

The Secretary has also directed the Deputy Secretary to ensure guidelines are in place to ensure appropriate oversight and maximize efficiencies for all DHS real property projects.

In September, Secretary Napolitano ordered a 30-day review of all CBP Recovery Act port projects to provide even greater transparency into the selection process. The review was completed by senior career officials from across the federal government who did not participate in the initial decision making. It was led by the highest ranking career official in the DHS Office of the General Counsel and included representatives from the Department of State and Office of National Drug Control Policy and individuals with expertise in security, construction, contracting and procurement. The committee examined the process by which ports were selected for Recovery Act funding, and studied how cost estimates were derived, how funding was awarded and how savings could be utilized. During the review, no new contracts were let. This review followed a recent report by the DHS Inspector General that called CBP’s expenditure plans “practical, thorough and comprehensive.”

ARRA provided $720 million to CBP and the General Services Administration (GSA) to improve security at land ports of entry. Congress allocated $420 million to CBP specifically for CBP-owned land ports of entry and GSA received $300 million specifically for GSA-owned ports of entry. Of the 43 CBP-owned ports of entry, 39 are located along the Northern Border, where the average age of the ports is more than four decades old. In total, 33 CBP-owned land ports of entry are expected to receive ARRA funds for full modernization projects (an increase from 23 in the original April 2009 spend plan) and eight CBP ports will receive funding for emergent repairs.