[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57811-57812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23690]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and
Scoping; President's Park South Security Re-Design and Landscaping
Preservation and Permanent Closure of E Street, the Ellipse Roadways,
South Executive Avenue, State Place and West South Executive Avenue,
and Hamilton Place and East South Executive Avenue, to Unauthorized
Vehicular Use
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment by the
National Park Service and the United States Secret Service, and notice
of scoping for re-designing the security elements and preserving the
landscape within President's Park South, which includes a portion of E
Street, NW., in Washington, DC. The proposed actions are as follows:
The United States Secret Service deciding whether to permanently close
(1) the section of E Street, NW. between 15th and 17th Streets, NW.,
South Executive Avenue, and the Ellipse roadways to unauthorized
vehicular traffic, and (2) State Place and West South Executive Avenue
and adjacent sidewalks (contiguous to First Division Monument) and
Hamilton Place and East South Executive Avenue and adjacent sidewalks
(contiguous to Sherman Park) to unauthorized vehicular and unauthorized
pedestrian traffic, and to install durable, more aesthetic security
elements in the area to replace the temporary, unsightly security
elements currently in place; and the National Park Service deciding on
landscape and infrastructure changes to the area that respond to the
street closures and re-design of security elements to ensure the iconic
historic nature of the landscape that is the White House and its
environs and an important destination for visitors.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 42
U.S.C. 4321, (NEPA), and applicable regulations and policies, the
National Park Service (NPS) and the United States Secret Service
(USSS), as joint lead agencies, are preparing an Environmental
Assessment (EA). The EA will aid the USSS in deciding whether to
permanently close E Street, South Executive Avenue, and the Ellipse
roadways within President's Park South to unauthorized vehicular
traffic, and State Place and West South Executive Avenue and adjacent
sidewalks (contiguous to First Division Monument) and Hamilton Place
and East South Executive Avenue and adjacent sidewalks (contiguous to
Sherman Park) to unauthorized vehicular and unauthorized pedestrian
traffic. The EA will further inform the USSS as it considers replacing
existing security elements in the area, such as jersey barriers,
provisional guard booths, canopy tents, bike rack, concrete planters
and standing canine vehicles. These security elements, while effective,
are visually unattractive and may detract from the iconic and historic
nature of the area. The USSS would seek to install security elements
that are both durable and more aesthetic at the vehicle checkpoints and
along the street closures. The NPS will utilize the EA to assist in its
consideration of landscape and infrastructure changes to President's
Park South that respond to USSS security requirements and conform to
the area's historic features, its iconic status and popularity as a
visitor destination. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is
a cooperating agency in this EA and is assisting in the development of
potential alternatives by holding a limited competition for design
concepts that integrate USSS security requirements and NPS cultural
[[Page 57812]]
landscape preservation policies and guidelines. Other government
agencies are invited to serve as cooperating agencies. Interested
agencies are asked to contact the Office of the National Park Service
Liaison to the White House at (202) 619-6344 at the NPS as early as
possible in this process. Compliance with the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA), including NHPA Section 106, and other laws and
requirements, will be coordinated with this EA process, and government
agencies that are affected by the proposed actions or have special
expertise will be consulted, whether or not they are cooperating
agencies.
This notice also serves as an announcement of scoping on both
proposed actions, and comments are sought from the public, government
agencies and other interested persons and organizations. Scoping is
used to gain insight into the issues to be addressed and to identify
other significant issues related to the proposed actions. For comments
to be most helpful to the scoping process, they must be received within
45 days of this notice. During scoping, a public meeting will be held
to present information and obtain input from attendees. The NPS and
USSS will describe the proposed actions and how the planning will be
conducted, and NCPC will describe the design concepts competition it is
conducting. All comments submitted during scoping, including at the
meeting, will be considered by both the NPS and USSS. The date for the
public meeting will be announced through the news media and through the
National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment Web
site. [When the meeting date is announced, if you require additional
information or special assistance to attend and participate in this
meeting, please contact the Office of the National Park Service Liaison
to the White House at (202) 619-6344.]
There is always the possibility that the NPS and USSS might proceed
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed
actions instead of an EA. If this occurs, comments submitted now will
be considered for any EIS that is developed.
DATES: Comments should be received within 45 days of this notice.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask in your comment
to withhold from public review your personal identifying information,
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically through the NPS'
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/PRPA (The NPS preferred method of receiving
comments), or by mail to: Office of the National Park Service Liaison
to the White House, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW., Room 344, Washington, DC
20242.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The NPS may be contacted at the Office
of the National Park Service Liaison to the White House, 1100 Ohio
Drive, SW., Washington, DC 20242, (202) 619-6344. To be added to a
mailing list about the proposed actions, contact the NPS at (202) 619-
6344.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NEPA regulations and policies encourage
agencies to collaborate or otherwise use the same NEPA analysis to
avoid duplications of effort, to reduce paperwork, and to prevent
delays in decision-making. The proposed actions grow out of needs
identified by USSS concerning the level and type of security required
for the White House. The NPS and USSS seek to re-design the security
elements in this space and preserve the landscape to create a visitor
and pedestrian-friendly, elegant and beautiful environment that is
respectful of its historic context and iconic status, while continuing
to meet USSS security needs. President's Park South is part of the
National Park System unit and includes Sherman Park, First Division
Monument, the Ellipse and its side panels, as well as the associated
roadways in the area. These places, along with other site features, are
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The NPS manages
President's Park South pursuant to its statutory authorities,
regulations and policies, the Comprehensive Design Plan for the White
House and President's Park (2000) (Plan), the Design Guidelines for the
White House and President's Park (1997), and in light of the area's
National Register status. The section of E Street, NW., within this
park area is also administered by NPS.
Following the events of September 11, 2001, USSS temporarily closed
the section of E Street, NW., within President's Park South to
unauthorized vehicular traffic. To secure this general area, USSS
placed a line of jersey barriers along the southern edge of E Street,
and installed provisional guard booths, canopy tents, bike rack,
concrete planters and standing canine vehicles at vehicle checkpoints
at the east and west ends of E Street. A vehicle check point was also
placed at the 16th Street and Constitution Avenue, entrance to the
Ellipse. Since that time there has been a continued, temporary closure
of the roadways to unauthorized vehicular traffic. The USSS will
determine whether to change the status of the closure from temporary to
permanent and to integrate durable, more aesthetic security elements in
place of the temporary security elements identified above.
The intent is to integrate durable, more aesthetic security
elements that not only help satisfy the requirement to maintain the
historic and iconic character of President's Park South, but also
improve the experience of visitors moving through the area to enter or
view the White House and its grounds.
The EA will assess a range of alternatives establishing a permanent
closure of E Street and associated roadways and the installation of re-
designed security elements resulting in changes to the area, along with
a no-action alternative for continuing the current closure using the
existing, temporary security elements. The Plan was developed as an EIS
and it will serve as a foundation for this EA, and the EA will also
review the Plan's treatment of President's Park South.
In 2008, the NCPC Security Task Force recommended, and the NPS and
USSS agreed, that NCPC, through its Task Force, would manage a limited
competition to generate creative and thoughtful design concepts that
incorporate necessary USSS security elements while improving the
experience of visitors moving through the area to enter or view the
White House and its grounds. The NCPC is a federal agency whose mission
includes serving as the central planning agency for the federal
activities in the greater Washington, DC area. The design concepts
generated through this process may become alternatives in the EA.
Dated: August 5, 2010.
Margaret O'Dell,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-23690 Filed 9-21-10; 8:45 am]
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