Big Oil Companies Granted $66Million by Homeland Securi

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Big Oil Companies Granted $66 Million by Homeland Security

New York-WABC, February 23, 2004) — As New York City scrambles to cover security costs to protect against another terror attack, Eyewitness News has found millions in taxpayer dollars going to protect some of the nation's wealthiest companies

It is an allocation of scarce Homeland Security funds that, some say, defies common sense.

The Investigators' Jim Hoffer joins us now with his exclusive story.

We know that recently the Department of Homeland Security cut millions of dollars in grants to help improve communications between New York City's emergency responders.

But you'll never guess who is getting millions in security dollars. Our investigation has found recipients of these limited funds are among the world's richest corporations.

Be it New York City's subway, its fire department or police -- they use every penny they can to prepare for a terrorist attack. But millions of dollars in security grants that New York sorely needs is helping protect one industry: big oil.

Jim Hoffer: "Citgo has received over $17 million, Conoco-Phillips $10 million, Shell $9-million."

Danielle Brian, Project on Government Oversight: "Wow, that's just extraordinary."

Our investigation has discovered that since 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security has given oil companies tens of millions of dollars to secure their port refineries, many of those facilities in New York and New Jersey.

Danielle Brian: "This is clearly corporate welfare ... And the idea that millions of dollars are going to multi-billion dollar industries that have tremendous profits is really an outrage."

Documents show that Citgo got more than $17 million in port security grants. Some of that money will go to build barriers and fences at its Linden, New Jersey, refinery.

And another huge refinery also in Linden will get nearly $700,000 in taxpayer funded security upgrades, even though its owner Conocco Phillips made $4.7 billion profit last year.

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