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S.D. Region Can Get Millions in Homeland Security Funds

San Diego is once again eligible for millions of dollars in homeland security funding. The federal government says the region is at high risk for terrorist attacks. KPBS Radio's Andrew Phelps explains

S.D. Region Can Get Millions in Homeland Security Funds

San Diego is once again eligible for millions of dollars in homeland security funding. The federal government says the region is at high risk for terrorist attacks. KPBS Radio's Andrew Phelps explains.

Even after an $8 million windfall last year, San Diego was dropped from the Homeland Security Department's list of high-risk regions. Now, city mayor Jerry Sanders says local agencies could get as much as $15 million to upgrade communication gear or beef up training. Sanders lobbied leaders in Washington to get the region back in the running.

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Sanders: The news that San Diego -- a region with the highest concentration of active duty military in the world and the world's busiest border crossing -- would not be on the primary funding list for homeland security funding was all the proof I needed that we had to turn around our advocacy efforts on a national level.

Now the city has to apply for the funding, which might not arrive for several months. The region has a share of $1.6 billion in homeland security money. For KPBS, I'm Andrew Phelps.