WHEREAS, there are over 2 million miles of oil and natural gas pipelines that run throughout the Nation’s metropolitan areas; and

WHEREAS, the current homeland security grant regime does not allow funds to be used primarily for fixed energy resources; the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program is the most versatile, but whose main purpose is for homeland security human resources; and

WHEREAS, a terrorist attack on any of the Natural Gas facilities in major holding yards such as those in Philadelphia and New Orleans would cripple natural gas users throughout the U.S., leaving more than 27 percent of the of the United States with no reliable means of natural gas; and

WHEREAS, greater security is needed for highly volatile energy resources such as liquefied natural gas (LNG): the LNG tanks in Philadelphia, alone, have a blast radius of over one mile; and

WHEREAS, major energy resources such as oil, natural gas, and liquefied natural gas are stored in very close proximity to metropolitan centers; and

WHEREAS, cities are in great need of additional security funds for closed circuit video monitoring of critical bridges, gas and oil lines, as well as emergency back-up generators for first responder operation centers as well as energy resource control facilities; and

WHEREAS, some cities own their energy infrastructure and require funds to increase the structural integrity and security of such assets.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the United States Conference of Mayors calls on the United States Congress to pass comprehensive energy legislation that creates a federal funding outlet to aid cities in providing greater security for fixed energy resources such as the hardening of fuel lines, critical bridges, emergency back-up generators, and barricades for energy supply stations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Federal Government give state and local governments maximum flexibility in allocating federal funds to implement a range of infrastructure protection measures; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Federal funds be available for the purchase of currently prohibited items such as detection systems, immovable bollards, alerting systems, permanent fencing, and the installation of video equipment surveying the perimeters of energy facilities.