Res No 019-12-13576RESOLUTION NO. 19-12-13576
A Resolution urging Tier I designation for the Miami -Fort Lauderdale Urban Area
by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with regard to the Urban Area
Security Initiative (UASI) Program.
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission desire to accept the grant from Miami -
Dade County by and through its Office of Grants Coordination; and
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 among urban areas as Tier I and Tier II. There are thirty one areas and eleven are
classified as Tier I and twenty are classified as Tier II areas. While Miami -Fort Lauderdale area
is in the highest risk location, its classification may be reduced to Tier 11; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security allocates significantly more funding
to Tier I Urban Areas, including over eighty percent of total UASI funding in FY2011; 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
WHEREAS, the Miami -Fort Lauderdale UASI is the eighth - largest Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA) 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
Res, No, 19 -12 -13576
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 intemet 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
(USSOUTHCOM), Homestead Air Reserve Base, US Coast Guard operations at Air Station
Miami and Station Miami Beach; and the National Hurricane Center; and
WHEREAS, the Miami -Fort Lauderdale UASI is home to the Turkey Point Nuclear
reactor; 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 I Urban Areas sustained no reductions in
funding; and
WHEREAS, the City of South Miami 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
2
Res. No. 19 -12 -13576
WHEREAS, the City of South Miami has had to reduce training and computer
equipment upgrades in FY 2011 that provide increase efficiency and productivity as a result of
this reduced funding; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security has been given the discretion in FY
2012 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 FY 2012 for first -
responder programs including UASI is $1 billion less than for FY 2011.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA THAT:
Section 1: The City of South Miami 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.
Section 2: The City of South Miami supports an allocation of FY 2012 Department of
Homeland Security funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative program that at a minimum
maintains individual UASI capabilities and critical functions.
Section 3: A copy of this resolution is forwarded to the offices of Senator Bill Nelson,
Senator Marco Rubio, and Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen.
Section 4: This resolution shall be effective immediately after the adoption hereof.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 17th, day of January, 2012.
ATTEST:
1
CITY
•'
APPROVED:
Nj`tCj
MAYOR
Commission Vote: 5 -0
Mayor Stoddard: Yea
Vice Mayor Newman: Yea
Commissioner Palmer:Yea
Commissioner Beasley: Yea
Commissioner Harris: Yea
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
INTER - OFFICE MEMORANDUM
The Honorable Mayor & Members of the City Commission
Hector Mirabile, Ph.D., City Manager
January 17, 2011
Agenda Item No.: > () 6,0
SUBJECT: A Resolution urging Tier I designation for the Miami -Fort Lauderdale Urban
Area by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with regard to the
Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Program.
BACKGROUND : The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Urban Area
Security Initiative (UASI) 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, through the UASI Program,
distinguishes among urban areas as Tier I and Tier II. There are thirty one
areas and eleven are classified as Tier I and twenty are classified as Tier II
areas. While Miami -Fort Lauderdale area is in the highest risk location, its
classification may be reduced to Tier 11. DHS allocates significantly more
funding to Tier I Urban Areas, including over eighty percent of total UASI
funding in FY201 I.
ATTACHNIENTS: None