This must be the news article Chertoff saw regarding New Orleans dodging a

[boston bean]

bullet. Too bad it just days prior to Katrina.

Associated Press Staff Reports

As the federal base closure commission finishes its work, Louisiana officials have a task at hand: lining up the money to modernize the Naval Support Activity base at New Orleans to turn it into a "federal city" that will house the Marine Reserves and other offices.

WWL-TV

The Algiers base has an estimated payroll of $142.1 million.

The city dodged a bullet Wednesday when the commission rejected a Pentagon proposal to shutter the base entirely. Instead, the Marine Reserves, along with other military offices now scattered around New Orleans, will move into the base and the state's congressional delegation is pushing the site for a regional headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security.

The office of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said it would not be known for sure until next week how many military and civilian jobs will be lost in Louisiana because of base closures and realignments.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL082505base.ab8d0156.html