2012-27830 Reso RESOLUTION NO. 2012-27830
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF
ADEQUATE HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING AND TIER I
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) DESIGNATION
FOR THE MIAMI-FORT LAUDERDALE URBAN AREA SECURITY
INITIATIVE (UASI)
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security, through the Urban Area Security
Initiative Program, provides homeland security grant funding to address the unique planning,
organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas,
and assists them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against,
respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security, through the UASI Program,
distinguishes urban areas as either Tier I and Tier 11, with the 11 highest risk urban areas
deemed Tier I, and the remaining 20 deemed Tier II; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security allocates significantly more funding
to Tier 1 Urban Areas, including over 80 percent of total UASI funding in FY 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Tier I designation is based on a DHS formula that assesses risk based
on factors such as threat, vulnerability, and consequence, taking into account population,
borders, economic impact, and critical infrastructure and this resolution is to request that the
Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI be designated a Tier 1 area; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is the eighth-largest Metropolitan
Statistical Area in the United States, with a permanent population of 5.6 million residents living
throughout Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties, along with millions of
seasonal residents and tourist travelers; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI includes over 110 municipalities, four
international airports, three major convention centers, and other critical utility and water
infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI encompasses four international seaports:
Port Everglades, Port of Key West, Port of Miami, and Port of Palm Beach, with the Port of
Miami the busiest passenger cruise ship port in the world; and
WHEREAS, Port Everglades is the site of South Florida's primary fuel storage and
distribution center that supplies nearly one-fifth of the state's energy requirements; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI region includes Lake Okeechobee and the
Herbert Hoover Dike, which, if respectively contaminated or breached, would cause enormous
disruptions in drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation with flooding that would
endanger South Florida and much of Central Florida; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI has both national and international
economic significance, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $252.6 billion, and is home to
the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, and is the future home of
the Permanent Secretariat of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is home to the National Access Point
(NAP) Center of the Americas, which is the primary internet and telecommunications distribution
center for all of Central and South America; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is of immense significance to our Nation's
defense and homeland security, serving as the home to US Southern Command, Homestead
Air Reserve Base, US Coast Guard operations at Air Station Miami and Station Miami Beach;
and the National Hurricane Center; and
WHEREAS, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States cites
specific localities within the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI region through which some of the 9-11
terrorists are known to have traveled; and
WHEREAS, UASI funding is essential in providing funding for the training and
coordination of communication and response for over a hundred different fire, EMS, HazMat,
law enforcement, emergency operations and public health agencies within the Miami/Ft.
Lauderdale UASI; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area is not currently designated as a Tier
I high-threat, high density urban area; and
WHEREAS, the current UASI methodology utilized by DHS does not adequately account
for airport and sea borne threats, nor the presence of thousands of passengers filling cruise ship
beds; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area despite being among the top 13
UASIs in the country, sustained a 44 percent reduction in funding from $17.1 million in FY2010
to $9.6 million in FY2011, while the eleven Tier 1 Urban Areas sustained no reductions in
funding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach as part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI, is
concerned that the Department of Homeland Security through the UASI Program, will continue
to dedicate insufficient resources to safeguard the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security has been given the discretion in
FY2012 to allocate both overall UASI funding and the specific distribution of UASI dollars to
individual UASI areas; unlike previously where Congress has annually set forth the overall
amount for the UASI program, and given DHS discretion solely to make Tier level rankings and
allocations to individual UASIs; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security funding for FY2012 for first-
responder programs including UASI is $1 billion less than for FY2011; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach strongly encourages the Department of Homeland
Security to recognize the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area as a Tier I UASI funding recipient
within the UASI Program, and allocate adequate funding commensurate with its risk profile and
importance to the nation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach supports an allocation of FY2012 Department of
Homeland Security funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative program that at a minimum
maintains individual UASI capabilities and critical functions; and
WHEREAS, all jurisdictions in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area have been
encouraged to adopt similar resolutions and copies of the resolutions will be forwarded to the
South Florida Congressional delegation.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and Commission
support adequate Homeland Security funding and Tier I Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) Designation for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).
PASSED and ADOPTED this gbh day of 5e6rk4ry 2012.
ATTEST:
�AYO
CITY CLERK �P
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26 .
APPROVED AS TO
FORM& LANGUAGE
8 FOR E CUTION
I _ Z
om Date
COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
A Resolution in support of adequate UASI funding and Tier I Designation for the Miami-Fort
Lauderdale UASI.
Key Intended Outcomes Supported:
Maintain crime rates at or below national trends.
Supporting Data-2009 Community Survey: Safety(crime, police)was rated as the number one
change that would make Miami Beach a better place to live, work, play or visit.
Issue:
Shall the City support the following request for adequate UASI funding and Tier I Designation for
the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI?
Item Summa /Recommendation:
The Administration requests approval to adopt a Resolution in support of adequate funding from
the Department of Homeland Security for the UASI program, and to designate the Miami-Fort
Lauderdale Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) a Tier I Urban Area.
The eleven highest risk urban areas are designated Tier I areas and the remaining twenty are
designated Tier II. Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is currently ranked as the thirteenth highest risk
urban area and is listed as a Tier II Urban Area. DHS allocates significantly more funding to Tier I
urban areas(over 80 percent of total UASI funding in FY 2011). Asa Tier II urban area, MIA-FLL
UASI sustained a 44 percent reduction in funding in FY 2011, while the eleven Tier I Urban Areas
sustained no reductions in funding. The current UASI methodology utilized by DHS does not
adequately account for airport and sea borne threats, nor the presence of thousands of
passengers filling cruise ship beds. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is concerned that the
Department of Homeland Security through the UASI Program will continue to dedicate insufficient
resources to safeguard the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area. This Resolution, which is also
being adopted by other municipalities in the MIA-FLL UASI, is to request that the Miami-Fort
Lauderdale UASI be designated a Tier I urban area. Adopt the Resolution.
Advisory Board Recommendation: N/A
Financial Information:
Source of # Amount Account Approved
funds
N/A
Financial Impact Summary:
City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking:
Judy Hoanshelt, Grants Manager, Office of Budget and Performance Improvement
Sign-Offs:
Department Director Assistant City Manager City Manager
IM MIAMIBEACH AGENDA ITEM C�
1W DATE 2—�-�Z
m MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive,Miami Beach, Florida 33139,www.miamibeachfl.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: February 8, 2012
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF ADEQUATE HOMELAND
SECURITY FUNDING AND TIER I DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
(DHS) DESIGNATION FOR THE MIAMI-FORT LAUDERDALE URBAN AREA
SECURITY INITIATIVE (UASI)
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
ANALYSIS
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Urban Area Security
Initiative Program, provides homeland security grant funding to address the unique planning,
organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban
areas, and assists them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect
against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.
DHS distinguishes urban areas as either Tier I or Tier II; with the eleven highest risk urban
areas deemed Tier I, and the remaining 20 deemed Tier II. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale
UASI (MIA-FLL) is currently ranked as the thirteenth highest risk urban area and is listed
near the top of Tier II. DHS allocates significantly more funding to Tier I Urban Areas(over
80 percent of total UASI funding in FY 2011). As a Tier II urban area, MIA-FLL UASI
sustained a 44 percent reduction in funding from $17.1 million in FY 2010 to $9.6 million in
FY 2011, while the eleven Tier I Urban Areas sustained no reductions in funding. The
Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI is concerned that the Department of Homeland Security
through the UASI Program will continue to dedicate insufficient resources to safeguard the
Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area. The current UASI methodology utilized by DHS does
not adequately account for airport and sea borne threats, nor the presence of thousands of
passengers filling cruise ship beds. This Resolution, which is also being adopted by other
municipalities in the MIA-FLL UASI, is to request that it be designated a Tier I urban area.
The Tier designation is based on a DHS formula that assesses risk based on factors such
as threat,vulnerability, and consequence,taking into account population, borders,economic
impact, and critical infrastructure. The MIA-FLL UASI is the eighth-largest Metropolitan
Statistical Area in the United States, with a permanent population of 5.6 million residents in
Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties, plus millions of seasonal
residents and tourists. It includes over 110 municipalities, four international airports, three
major convention centers, critical utility and water infrastructure and four international
seaports. Port of Miami is the busiest passenger cruise ship port in the world and Port
Everglades is the site of South Florida's primary fuel storage and distribution center that
supplies nearly one-fifth of the state's energy requirements.
Commission Memorandum
Page 2
The Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI region includes Lake Okeechobee and the Herbert Hoover
Dike,which, if respectively contaminated or breached,would cause enormous disruptions in
drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation with flooding that would endanger South
Florida and much of Central Florida.The Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI has both national and
international economic significance,with a gross domestic product(GDP)of$252.6 billion, it
is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, and is the
future home of the Permanent Secretariat of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas. It is
also home to the National Access Point(NAP)Center of the Americas,which is the primary
internet and telecommunications distribution center for all of Central and South America.
The MIA-FLL UASI is of immense significance to our nation's defense and homeland
security, serving as the home to US Southern Command, Homestead Air Reserve Base, US
Coast Guard operations at Air Station Miami and Station Miami Beach; and the National
Hurricane Center. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States
cites specific localities within the Miami-Fort Lauderdale UASI region through which some of
the 9-11 terrorists are known to have traveled. UASI funding is essential in providing funding
for the training and coordination of communication and response for over a hundred different
fire, EMS, HazMat, law enforcement, emergency operations and public health agencies
within the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale UASI.
DHS has been given the discretion in FY2012 to allocate both overall UASI funding and the
specific distribution of UASI dollars to individual UASI areas; unlike previously where
Congress has annually set forth the overall amount for the UASI program, and given DHS
discretion solely to make Tier level rankings and allocations to individual UASIs. The
Department of Homeland Security funding for FY2012 forfirst-responder programs including
UASI is $1 billion less than for FY2011. The City of Miami Beach strongly encourages the
Department of Homeland Security to recognize the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area as a
Tier I UASI funding recipient within the UASI Program, and allocate adequate funding
commensurate with its risk profile and importance to the nation. The City of Miami Beach
supports an allocation of FY2012 Department of Homeland Security funding for the Urban
Area Security Initiative program that at a minimum maintains individual UASI capabilities and
critical functions.
Cities in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area will be adopting similar resolutions to this
one, and copies of the resolutions will be forwarded to the South Florida Congressional
delegation.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the Administration requests that the Mayor and The City Commission of the
City of Miami Beach support adequate Homeland Security funding and Tier I Department of
Homeland Security(DHS)designation for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Urban Area Security
Initiative (UASI).
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