U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
Washington, DC 20528 


Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Freight Rail Security Grant Program 
(FRSGP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. What is the purpose of the FY 2009 Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)? 
In FY 2009, the FRSGP will fund security training for railroad frontline employees, the 
completion of vulnerability assessments, the development of security plans and the 
acquisition of GPS tracking on railroad cars within the freight rail industry. 

2. How much funding was available under the FY 2009 FRSGP? 
The total amount of funds distributed under the FY 2009 FRSGP is $15,000,000. 

3. Who was eligible to apply for FY 2009 FRSGP funds? 
Eligible applicants for the FY 2009 FRSGP were determined by DHS as Class I, II and III 
freight railroad carriers that transport security-sensitive materials (SSM), owners of railroad 
cars and sensitive-security materials offerors who ship by railroad. 

A regulation defining SSM is currently under development; however, a definition of SSM is 
provided below specifically for the purposes of the FY 2009 FRSGP. 

As designated by the Surface Transportation Board, a Class I railroad carrier is defined as a 
railroad with annual operating revenues for 2005 over $319,200,000; a Class II railroad 
carrier is defined as a railroad with annual operating revenues between $25,500,000 and 
$319,200,000; and a Class III railroad carrier is defined as a railroad with annual operating 
revenues of less than $25,500,000. 

Class I, II, and III freight railroad carriers had to also meet the following criteria in order to 
be eligible: 

. 
Transport Rail SSM. For the purpose of this grant, SSM is defined as: 

-More than 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs.) in a single carload of a Division 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 
explosive. 

-A tank car containing a material poisonous by inhalation, as defined in 49 CFR 
171.8, including anhydrous ammonia but excluding residue quantities of these 
materials. 

-A highway route-controlled quantity of a Class 7 (radioactive) material, as 
defined in 49 CFR 173.403. 

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-Operate in or through a high threat urban area, as subject to the forthcoming “Rail 
Transportation Security Final Rule,” and as identified in Table 1 of the FY 2009 
Freight Rail Security Grant Program Guidance and Application Kit. 

-Certify they have developed and adhere to a vulnerability assessment and security 
plan that conforms to the requirements of 49 CFR 172.802. 

Owners of railroad cars that transport rail Toxic Inhalation Hazards (TIH) and sensitive-
security materials offerors who ship by railroad that transport rail TIH. 

. 
For the purpose of this grant, TIH is defined as: a tank car containing a material 
poisonous by inhalation, as defined in 49 CFR 171.8, including anhydrous ammonia 
but excluding residue quantities of these materials. 

. 
For the purpose of this grant, “offerors” are entities that lease rail cars in order to ship 
poisonous by inhalation/TIH materials by railroad. 

4. 
How were the FY 2009 FRSGP awards determined? 
Recipients were selected through a competitive process based on their ability to deliver 
training, security plans and vulnerability assessments and need for global positioning 
tracking (GPS). 

5. 
What legislation authorized funding for the FY 2009 FRSGP? 
The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 
(Public Law 110-329) provided funding for this program. 

6. 
Where is the FY 2009 FRSGP Guidance and Application Kit located? 
The FY 2009 FRSGP Guidance and Application Kit is located online at 
http://www.fema.gov/grants as well as on http://www.grants.gov. 


7. 
What other resources are available to address programmatic, technical and financial 
questions? 
. 
For additional program-specific information, please contact the Centralized 
Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) help line at (800) 368-6498 or 
askcsid@dhs.gov. CSID hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, 
Monday through Friday. 

. 
For financial-related questions, including pre-and post-award administration and 
technical assistance, please contact the FEMA Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via 
e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov. 

8. 
What is the FY 2009 FRSGP period of performance? 
The period of performance is 36 months. Extensions to the period of performance will be 
considered only through formal requests to FEMA with specific and compelling justification 
why an extension is required. 

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