Northwest Queens lawmaker hopes to
extend gas pipeline inspection deadline
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Congresswoman Grace
Meng has secured a recordbreaking
$180 million for the
Nonprofit Security Grant Program,
a federal initiative that
provides houses of worship and
nonprofit entities with funding
to protect their properties
against threats and attacks.
Meng, a member of the
House Appropriations Committee,
secured the funds in
the Homeland Security Appropriations
Bill, which is expected
to soon be passed by the
House and Senate as part of the
omnibus spending package.
“This funding is greatly
needed to ensure the security
of houses of worship, schools,
nonprofits and other facilities,
and it will go a long way towards
keeping our communities
safe,” Meng said.
The surge in funding would
be for fiscal year 2021. It is a $90
million increase – doubling the
funding from fiscal year 2020.
Meng is urging houses of
worship and nonprofits in New
York and across the country to
apply for the grants, as she continues
to champion funding for
the crucial initiative.
“With government resources
tight this year due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m
pleased to have still been able
to obtain these critical federal
dollars. We can never take a
backseat to safety,” Meng said.
“It must remain our top priority,
especially following recent
acts of violence and hate that
have occurred across our nation.”
The grants, which are administered
by the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), cover targethardening
and other physical
security enhancements such
as barriers, gates, safety gear,
surveillance equipment and
other safety measures.
The program consists of
two streams of funds: the
Urban Area Security Initiative
(UASI), which consists of
money for urban areas, and
the State Homeland Securities
Program (SHSP), which consists
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.18 COM | JAN. 1-JAN. 7, 2021
of funding for non-urban
areas. Under the funding increase,
both have received $90
million each.
The House Appropriations
Committee funds all U.S. government
agencies, programs
and projects. In addition to
serving on the full Appropriations
Committee, Meng sits
on the panel’s Subcommittee
on Homeland Security which
decides funding levels for the
grants. Facilities may apply for
up to $100,000.
In July, Meng announced
that facilities throughout
her congressional district in
Queens received more than
$1.7 million from the program.
The Congresswoman also held
a workshop in Queens last
January to help local houses of
worship and nonprofits learn
about the program, and how
they can successfully apply for
funding.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or
by phone at (718) 260–4526.
BY BILL PARRY
Queens homeowners
will save thousands of dollars
under legislation recently
passed by the City
Council and first introduced
by Councilman Daniel
Dromm.
The bill will extend the
gas line inspection and certification
deadline set by Local
Law 152 of 2016 to June 30,
2021, and give a much-needed
reprieve to thousands of
Queens property owners in
Community Districts 1, 3
and 10 which are still reeling
from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Intro 2151-B will also require
the city’s Department
of Buildings to conduct thorough
outreach to the public,
and solicit public comments
related to Local Law 152.
“Intro 2151-B spares thousands
of Queens homeowners
from having to scramble
to comply with Local Law
152, with its looming Dec.
31, 2020, deadline,” Dromm
said. “It would be difficult
to expect our constituents to
bring inspectors into their
homes in the middle of a
pandemic or face thousands
of dollars in fines.”
The goals of Local Law
152 are laudable: to ensure
that gas lines in buildings
throughout the city are
sound.
However, the initial deadline,
set well before anyone
could foresee the pandemic,
is not practicable at this
point.
“As a responsible policymaker,
I am simply interested
in ensuring compliance
with any legislation that is
passed and enacted. When
circumstances change and
call for reassessment, we
have to respond,” Dromm
said. “I want to thank NYC
Council Housing and Buildings
Chair Robert Cornegy
for working alongside me on
this important effort. I also
want to thank my constituents
for bringing this issue
to my attention. You initiated
the legislative process
that culminated in this
vote. Even during this challenging
time, democracy is
alive and well at the NYC
Council.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
Photo via Getty Images
Congresswoman Grace Meng Courtesy of Meng’s offi ce
Rep. Meng secures $180M in security grant
funding for houses of worship, nonprofi ts
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