LONDON ATTACKED; Reps Rip Security Boss for Transit Di$$

Outraged Bay State congressmen yesterday blasted Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff for dismissing transit security as a local concern rather than something that warrants a significant funding boost from the federal government.

“If a (transit attack) happens in America, I would challenge Secretary Chertoff to look the families of the victims in the eyes and tell them it was a local issue,” U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano (D- Somerville) said.

A week after deadly transit bombings in London, Chertoff said local officials should bear financial responsibility for improved transit protection because the feds must focus on airline security.

“The truth of the matter is, a fully loaded airplane with jet fuel . . . has the capacity to kill 3,000 people,” Chertoff said. “A bomb in a subway car may kill 30 people. When you start to think about your priorities, you’re going to think about making sure you don’t have a catastrophic thing first.”

While Capuano and others agreed airline security should remain a top priority, they said the Bush administration is obliged to assist local governments scrambling to secure highly vulnerable transit systems.

In Massachusetts, the MBTA remains on high alert after the London bombings, with additional police patrols. The T has received $7 million from the feds for security in recent years – a pittance compared to the $92 million given to Massport to protect Logan International Airport.

“The message today from the Bush administration to the MBTA was this: `You’re on your own,’ ” said U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D- Malden). “It’s very dangerous and very wrong.”

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) said congressional leaders want to restore $50 million cut from transit security and perhaps add $50 million more.

“That would bring total funding to $200 million, which is not adequate,” said Lynch, who has filed a national rail security bill. “We’ve had over 200 (transit) attacks in the last five years around the globe. The Bush administration has tunnel vision on this.”