The Department of Homeland Security’s National Applications Office (NAO) plans to proceed with the first phase of a controversial satellite-surveillance program, using the military imagery and mapping tools of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

It will provide federal, state and local officials “with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery–but no eavesdropping–to assist with emergency response and other domestic-security needs, such as identifying where ports or border areas are vulnerable to terrorism,” the Wall Street Journal reported.