How much money Utah will get from Homeland Security unclear

WASHINGTON — Money shuffling in the Homeland Security Department's grant programs makes it difficult for Utah officials to know exactly how much money they will receive.

The White House has requested increases in some specific grant programs, but money earmarked for state and local training programs has taken a $117 million hit. Congress still needs to approve these numbers, so the reduction is not final — yet.

The Urban Areas Security Initiative Grant program has an $838 million request for 2007, an increase from the $765 million in 2006. But Salt Lake City was not on the list of cities eligible for those grants last year and the eligible list for 2007 has not yet been compiled, according to Branda Napper, a department spokeswoman.

The State Homeland Security Grants also have an increase with a $633 million request for 2007, up from $550 million in 2006. All states will receive a baseline grant from this pot of money with anything above that determined by risk, Napper said.

But state and local training programs are only budgeted about $92 million in 2007, down from $210 million approved for 2006. This area includes "continuing and emerging training grants" and "demonstration grants," and several other ways states can use money handed out by the government.

Utah Department of Public Safety spokesman Derek Jensen said the department anticipated some proposed cuts based on what it had been hearing. He said the department does not make a budget on how it will use federal funds until it knows how much it has.

Kris Hamlet, financial manager for the Utah Department of Public Safety's Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, said he does not know how much money he will have for 2006. Congress just approved the final budget at the end of 2006, and now states must compete for it through grant applications.

"We won't know how much we get until May," Hamlet said.

He said once he receives a number, he will evaluate the budget to address the goals in the state's security strategy, such as helping first responders, improving communication and protecting critical infrastructure. The same goes for the proposed cuts — there is not much the state can do until it knows the final number it will receive, Hamlet said.

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