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| CBP Announces Plan to Modernize Land Ports of Entry Funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Address Infrastructure Needs (Wednesday, April 08, 2009) Washington U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced funding received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) that will help modernize land ports of entry to help meet its border security mission, while encouraging a boost in national and local economies. $720 million of the Recovery Act was dedicated by Congress to upgrade port facilities, some of which were built prior to World War II, to address today's national security and trade and travel facilitation needs.CBP along with our partners at GSA will use these funds to enhance technology and modernize infrastructure at land ports of entry to improve our capacity for facilitating growing trade and travel. Our mission requires facilities that meet modern demands, said Acting Commissioner Jayson Ahern.The program provides additional resources to the multi-year modernization strategy that includes a total of 43 CBP-owned land ports of entry, which are primarily along the northern border of the U.S.Additionally, the Recovery Act also provides resources needed for CBP to continue deploying cutting edge imaging technologies that allow safe and efficient inspection of cargo and vehicles entering the U.S.Beginning in 2004, CBP thoroughly assessed all land port facilities as part of a comprehensive effort to modernize critical components of the nations border infrastructure.Modernization projects were determined according to an assessment of conditions at the facilities based on their capacity to meet CBPs operational priorities and mission. CBP will target Recovery Act investments toward land port facilities struggling with the most urgent operational deficiencies.Preceding land port construction, CBP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct site surveys for planning and due diligence beginning in early April. Construction will range in scope from renovations and alterations to full facility replacement.In addition to the $720 million funded for land ports of entry construction projects, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided CBP:
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