22 September 2010

White House Enhanced Fortification Study

[Federal Register: September 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 183)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57811-57812]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se10-101]                         

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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.


Map added by Cryptome.

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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]
BILLING CODE 4312-54-P