Tester: Montana to Receive $7.9 Million in Preparedness Funding

(U.S. Senate) – As part of his ongoing efforts to bolster national security and strengthen the northern border, Senator Jon Tester announced today that state and local agencies across Montana will receive a total of $7.9 million in preparedness funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Strengthening our national security and ensuring we’re prepared for disasters isn’t just a national priority,” said Tester. “State, local, and tribal authorities are all essential to emergency preparation and these resources will help keep Montanans safe and our nation secure.”

As Montana’s only member of the Homeland Security Committee, Tester has fought to secure funding for the following DHS programs:

FY 2016 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP): $3,734,500
The SHSP provides states with funding to analyze and address local security threats through planning, training, and logistical initiatives. This year, Montana will receive $3.7 million through the SHSP, which the Montana Department of Emergency Services plans to put towards acquiring new emergency power sources and generators, outfitting local police departments with better vehicles and safety equipment, and upgrading communications equipment and interoperability across the state.

FY 2016 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program: $3,291,900
The EMPG Program provides states with funding to enhance and sustain emergency management capabilities at the local, state, and tribal level. Montana will receive $3.3 million in EMPGs this year, a sum that will be divided among Montana’s participating counties and tribes to help fund emergency management programs for their respective jurisdictions.

FY 2016 Operation Stonegarden (OPSG): $877,630
The OPSG program provides funding to enhance cooperation between the local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies that defend the country’s borders. The state will receive nearly $900,000 in OPSG funding this year, which will be allocated to communities across northern Montana in order to increase preparedness, coordination, and effectiveness when it comes to securing our northern border and protecting Montanans.

• Blaine County, $63,370 
• Glacier County, $63,370 
• Hill County, $68,130 
• Roosevelt County, $58,250 
• Phillips County, $63,370 
• Sheridan County, $79,056 
• Toole County, $72,890 
• Richland County, $58,610 
• Dawson County, $63,370 
• Valley County, $63,370 
• Lincoln County, $103,354 
• Kalispell Police Department, $120,490