The cities of New York and Washington are getting less money in this year's allocation of grants from the Homeland Security Department.

The department Wednesday announced the recipients of $1.7 billion distributed through various programs to help states and cities help prepare for terror attacks and natural disasters.

DHS officials have changed the criteria used to award money under their programs, saying that instead of looking at population, they are trying to focus more on where there are risks and are taking into account how well municipalities have used past grants.

The department said there is risk throughout the nation and preparedness dollars therefore need to be spread out.

One of the more controversial programs is DHS' Urban Areas Security Initiative, aimed at cities, for which $757 million is being distributed. Both New York and Washington are getting less under that program this year. New York, for example, will receive nearly $125 million, a reduction of about $83 million.

DHS officials point out, however, that New York is still the largest recipient in the program.

Officials from New York and Washington criticized the actions of the Homeland Security Department.

"We're disappointed that the Department of Homeland Security has reduced funding to the region, to the National Capital Region," Washington Mayor Anthony Williams told reporters Wednesday.

"We're going to be getting $46 million as down from $77 million last year. Among other large cities with a reduction is New York, which is facing a substantial, huge cut in homeland security funds. They're as much a target as we are. I think it's shortsighted for the federal government to cut funds in this way."

In a written statement, Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said the "decision to cut funding to New York by more than 40 percent is absolutely indefensible and disgraceful."

"As far as I'm concerned, DHS and the administration have declared war on New York City, and I am going to fight this as hard as I possibly can," he said. "This raises very serious questions about the quality and sincerity of management at every level of the department."

In a conference call with reporters, a Homeland Security official defended the allocation to New York.

"It does not mean the risk in New York is different ... or lower," DHS Assistant Secretary Tracy Henke said.

"It means we have additional information, additional clarity" about how to best allocate resources.

She said one problem the department faced in making its decisions is that Congress allocated less money for all of the grant programs this year. She added that the department has much better information this year, which helped in the evaluation of where the money should go.

To help federal officials make the allocation decisions, homeland security officials from throughout the nation participated in panels that reviewed various applications for grants and then made recommendations. The final decision, though, was left to DHS.