| As New York City scrambles to cover security costs to protect against another terror attack, Eyewitness News has found millions in taxpayer dollars going to protect some of the nation's wealthiest companies.
...Be it New York City's subway, its fire department or police -- they use every penny they can to prepare for a terrorist attack. But millions of dollars in security grants that New York sorely needs is helping protect one industry: big oil. ...Documents show that Citgo got more than $17 million in port security grants. Some of that money will go to build barriers and fences at its Linden, New Jersey, refinery. And another huge refinery also in Linden will get nearly $700,000 in taxpayer funded security upgrades, even though its owner Conocco Phillips made $4.7 billion profit last year. Another refinery in Woodbridge will be getting $175,000 in security upgrades, thanks to taxpayers. We've also foot the bill for another million dollars in security at five other Motiva refineries in the tri-state area. ...Our analysis of Port Security documents show that some of the nation's most profitable oil companies received $66 million in grants. Money from the Department of Homeland Security to pay for fencing, cameras, and gates around big oil's refineries. ...Mark Hatfield, Transportation Security Administration: "If you look at the distribution of those grants, first of all, by recipient the distributions is far and away balanced towards, or it's biased towards, public entities, municipalities, port authorities, police departments." True, only 15 percent of the half billion dollars in grants go to oil companies. Still that's $66 million that could go to those who really need it, like the local police chiefs we spoke with. None of whom say they have received any money from Homeland Security. ...The American Petroleum Institute declined our request for a on-camera interview. Most oil companies told us they don't comment on security issues. We should note that the nuclear power industry, which has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on its own security, has not received any grants from Homeland Security. |
But then, Cheney and Condi aren't tied to the nuclear power business.
| Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano says that's money he could use. He's got numerous high-risk targets including the Indian Point nuclear plant and New York City's reservoirs, yet has only received a couple hundred thousand in direct security grants.
Andrew Spano: "Why the federal government would give us something like $200,000 -- which is what we have gotten -- and they give millions and millions to companies that are making exceptional amounts of money this year is beyond me." |
No wonder the county is in trouble, if Andrew hasn't figured that one out.
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