§608 Prioritization

Summary

When splitting grant money among States and high-risk urban areas that apply under sections 604 or 605, the Administrator must weigh each place’s relative threat, vulnerability, and likely consequences from terrorism. Factors include population (including military, tourists, and commuters), population density, history of threats, risks to all critical infrastructure and key resources (including nearby jurisdictions), the latest Department threat assessments, being near an international border or an ocean coast, likely need to respond to nearby incidents, unmet required capabilities, and—for high-risk urban areas—whether adding nearby cities, counties, parishes, or tribes would strengthen regional response. The Administrator can also use other written factors. The Administrator must also judge how effective the proposed use of the grant will be at improving prevention, preparation, protection, and response, meeting target capabilities, and lowering overall risk. In assessing threat, the Administrator must consider biological, chemical, cyber, explosives, incendiary, nuclear, radiological, suicide bombers, and any other threat types the Administrator finds relevant.