Federal funding to help state make upgrades

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jack Reed announced last week that Rhode Island will receive more than $1.2 million in federal funding for transportation and infrastructure upgrades aimed at protecting residents from terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
Awarded under the Infrastructure Protection Activities grant program, the state will receive a total of $1,236,438 to strengthen security of rail, ferry, and infrastructure systems and facilities.
The planned funding includes: $829,292 for the R.I. Public Transit Authority, $208,146 for port security, $151,470 for Quonset Development Corporation, $56,676 for Sprague Energy Corp. and $199,000 for “buffer-zone” protection.
“It is imperative that Rhode Island’s first responders have the training, equipment, and resources they need to prevent and respond to any emergency or natural disaster that may arise,” said Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. &#8226