Security & Safety Briefs - Oct. 7 - Oct. 13
The Latest Headlines:
- Congress Approves $32 Billion for Homeland Security
- House Approves RSPA Reorganization
- N.Y. Base Opens to Improve Border Security
- Union Pacific Installing New Safety Signs at Railroad Crossings
- House Approves RSPA Reorganization
Congress Approves $32 Billion for Homeland Security
Congress approved $32 billion for the Homeland Security Department on Monday, and sent it to President Bush for his signature, news services reported.The funding for fiscal year 2005, which began Oct. 1, was an increase of $1.1 billion from the previous year and $496 million above what Bush requested.
Included is $4 billion for first responders, $9.8 billion for border protection and $5.7 billion for transportation security. Transport Topics
House Approves RSPA Reorganization
The House of Representatives voted Oct. 7 to reorganize the Research and Special Programs Administration into two separate agencies. RSPA oversees hazardous-material policy for the Department of Transportation, in addition to its research responsibilities.The proposal would divide RSPA into the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which would maintain RSPA’s jurisdiction over hazmat issues, and the Research and Innovative Technologies Administration, which would fulfill RSPA’s current research functions.
“This reorganization will elevate the safety of pipelines and the movement of hazardous materials to a position within [DOT] that is long overdue,” Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said in a statement. Sponsors planned to move the bill to the Senate, the statement said. Transport Topics
N.Y. Base Opens to Improve Border Security
The U.S. government on Friday opened a base in Plattsburgh, N.Y., where airplanes, helicopters and boats will guard the U.S.-Canada border against terrorists, drug smugglers and illegal immigrants, news services reported.The facility, which was formerly an Air Force base in New York's northeastern corner, is one of five that will be responsible for increasing border security.
Two planes and two helicopters will be based at the new facility, along with about 40 people. Boats will regularly patrol Lake Champlain and other waterways, Homeland Security officials said. Planes also will patrol Lake Ontario and western Lake Erie.
The first facility opened in August in Bellingham, Wash. Others are tentatively planned for near Detroit, Grand Forks, N.D., and Great Falls, Mont., the Associated Press reported. Transport Topics
Union Pacific Installing New Safety Signs at Railroad Crossings
Freight railroad Union Pacific Corp. said it would invest $14 million in a safety initiative to upgrade signs at its railroad crossings without active warning devices.The company said in a statement it would install reflective crossbuck warning signs, emergency notification signs and private crossing signs at more than 17,500 crossings by the end of the year.
Union Pacific also said it was closing unnecessary and redundant crossings throughout its rail network as another way to improve safety. Transport Topics
