The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced Friday that $17.5 million in federal funding is available for terrorism preparedness in Ohio.

The Office for Domestic Preparedness will appropriate the money through a grant program. States have until April 22 to apply.

Ridge wrote to state governors this week to describe the program's guidelines and offer instructions for applying.

In Ohio, about $12.3 million is available to purchase equipment, $3 million for exercises, nearly $1 million for training and about $1.2 million for planning.

Once approved, money will be available within three weeks, the department said.

Domestic security funding to states has increased from $12 million in 1998 to more than $600 million this year, the department said.