In a letter to DHS Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson, Mayor Brown reiterated his continuing concern that the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Program does not adequately incorporate overwhelming risk assessment factors in the Buffalo/Niagara region, which is the geographical area considered by the Department of Homeland Security when determining UASI funding.
The Mayor wrote, "I remain troubled that significant geographic, operational, and asset-based risk factors still may not be fully reflected in the [UASI] quantitative risk assessment process for the Buffalo/Niagara region in FY2007. While our UASI planning, projects, funding allocations, and prevention and response activities cover the entire region; the Department's catchment area for risk factors does not. This means that the full Buffalo/Niagara UASI population of 1.17 million residents and roughly 14 million annual tourists is not currently a factor.
"In addition, the risk assessment does not account for the three international bridges within the UASI but outside the 10-mile asset analysis area around the City, for which local first responders provide the primary coverage, supporting the region's two-way border crossing of 13.5 million passenger and commercial vehicles annually. Similarly, the risk assessment omits other critical infrastructure outside the 10-mile boundary, such as the Niagara Power Authority Dam, a major source of power for the State, for which the Buffalo/Niagara UASI takes responsibility."
In May of this year, the Department of Homeland Security decreased the Buffalo Urban Area's UASI 2006 funding by 50 percent from the previous year (2006 -- $3.7 million; 2005 -- $7.2 million). In fact, our region's funding has decreased annually since 2003, when the region received $10.3 million in UASI funding.
Mayor Brown, County Executive Joel Giambra and William Ross, Chairman of the Niagara County Legislature, subsequently wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on May 31st to express their shared concern over the Department's decision at the time to exclude the Buffalo UASI from their list of eligible candidates for the UASI Program in 2007.
Mayor Brown and his fellow elected leaders then testified in Buffalo on July 14th before the House Committee on Homeland Security, which was chaired by Congressman Peter King.
In August, Mayor Brown and Erie County Executive Giambra sent to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff a detailed analysis paper that identified and justified dozens of specific factors for inclusion in future UASI risk assessments. Reviewing this analysis was the basis for the Mayor's personal meeting with the Deputy Secretary and Undersecretary on November 13th in Washington, D.C.
Mayor Brown concluded his correspondence to Deputy Secretary Jackson by stating, "I believe that consideration of the issues we discussed will demonstrate that Buffalo meets the standards set by the Department for high-risk urban areas and should thus be deemed eligible to apply for UASI funding support next year. If the Department needs more time to address concerns within the core UASI risk assessment process, I urge that you consider extending current sustainment area status until those issues are resolved."
Since taking office, Mayor Brown has met with local, state and federal officials to coordinate a consistent effort to maintain and strengthen the City of Buffalo's position within the federally designated Buffalo/Niagara UASI.
