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February 8, 2010

County could face fines for airport security violations

Violations at Plattsburgh airport included unlocked security gates

By JOE LoTEMPLIO

PLATTSBURGH — Clinton County could be looking at numerous fines from the federal Transportation Security Administration for violations at Plattsburgh International Airport.

The fines could total up to $260,000 and stem from infractions from more than a year ago.

But county officials have been working with TSA in hopes of rectifying the situation without big costs.

"We continue to work with TSA in hopes of resolving the situation in an agreeable manner," County Deputy Administrator Rodney Brown said.

The county has yet to pay anything in fines, and Brown said they hope it stays that way.

TSA has implemented many safety and security standards at airports across the country since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

An agent periodically drops in to assess security at the airport, and if violations are noticed, the county is written up.

The daily TSA staff stationed at the airport also report violations.

All employees working in secure areas of the airport must pass a test to receive official credentials that they must wear around their neck at all times.

County Administrator Michael Zurlo said some of the violations the county has been guilty of have been as minor as someone's badge turning over in the wind so their identification picture cannot be seen.

Other violations include unlocked gates, improperly filled out files and not following the airport-security plan.

Zurlo said some of the problems have occurred because of tenants at the airport and not county employees.

As a result, all gate keys were taken from tenants, and county officials must now escort tenants who want to utilize a gate.

The airport, which opened on the flight line of the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in the summer of 2007, features more than 11 miles of fence line, an area larger than JFK Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

"Our goal always is to have an appropriate security plan in place to ensure the safety of our passengers, tenants and employees," Brown said.

"It's a daily function of running an airport."

Airport Manager Tom Long said he is constantly in touch with TSA to ensure that violations are corrected as quickly as possible.

"All airports have to go through this, and as soon as we know of a violation, we fix it," Long said.

Brown said the county does not know for sure when TSA will decide if fines have to actually be paid.

"Some of these violations are more than a year old, and they've been fixed for more than a year."

An inquiry to the TSA from the Press-Republican was not answered.

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

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