Thread: Federal Plans For Border Crossing Station Found In KXAN Dump

Federal Plans For Border Crossing Station Found In KXAN Dumpster

July 5, 2007 11:18 PM

Sensitive government documents turned up in KXAN Austin News' Dumpster in Central Austin.

Included in the bound 189-page document were preliminary plans for the expansion of a U.S.-Mexico border crossing station in El Paso.

"It was before our Sunday 5 p.m. show, and I was just coming out here to catch a break, gather my thoughts and get ready for the show," said technical director Robert Lovelace after he found the documents. "And I walked down this way, and I just happened to look over at this temporary Dumpster, and I saw the words 'Homeland Security' in big black letters on a piece of paper here, which of course, piqued my curiosity."

Lovelace stumbled on a document prepared for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. General Services Administration.

"Everything, sprinkler systems, electrical, structure points, stress points, everything that if I was a bad guy, I would want to get my hands on," Lovelace

KXAN Austin News showed the documents to a representative of the General Services Administration who was not authorized to comment, but he informed the regional GSA office in Fort Worth.

A representative there declined a request for an on-camera interview, but Scott Armey, the agency's regional administrator issued this statement:

"The U.S. General Services Administration takes its responsibility on security matters very seriously. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the GSA Inspector General's Office. The contract relating to the Ysleta project requires documents that no longer needed to be destroyed. Destruction shall be done by burning or shredding hardcopy. We have sent formal letters of instruction to our prime contractors on this project to make sure all rules and responsibilities of the contract are followed. Further action could be taken following the completion of the inspector general's investigation."

No one from the GSA or any other federal agency requested the return of the documents.

The temporary Dumpsters behind KXAN Austin News are for the work crews that have put the finishing touches on the station's brand-new set.

http://www.kxan.com/global/story.asp?s=6752652

I live in Austin!

I think that is so symbolic! The plans are in the dump. They are trashed and are not going to be carried out by Bush's administration.

Dixie

Gee maybe someone WANTED them to be found! Of all places to dump something like that a tv station!

Originally Posted by ohflyingone

Gee maybe someone WANTED them to be found! Of all places to dump something like that a tv station!

And why would a producer look in a dumpster while taking a break?

Originally Posted by portaltotx

Originally Posted by ohflyingone

Gee maybe someone WANTED them to be found! Of all places to dump something like that a tv station!

And why would a producer look in a dumpster while taking a break?

Originally Posted by portaltotx

And why would a producer look in a dumpster while taking a break?

Well, if this was a movie ... because that's where the guy he was on the phone with a minute earlier TOLD him to look.

Sleep tight kiddies, your government is protecting you tonight.