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    Post White House Security Zone Expands (Cryptome)!

    White House Security Zone Expands


    8 March 2011

    White House Security Zone Expands

    [Federal Register: March 8, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 45)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 12753-12755]
    From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
    [DOCID:fr08mr11-97]

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

    National Park Service

    [Account No. 3950-SZM]


    President's Park--Environmental Assessment for Proposed Permanent
    Roadway Closures, Re-Design of Security Elements, and Preservation of
    Historic Landscape

    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.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    SUMMARY: 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

    [[Page 12754]]

    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.

    DATES: Comments should be received within 45 days of this notice.

    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: 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 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 on Thursday, March
    31, 2011, to present information and obtain input from attendees. The
    meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the White House
    Visitor Center located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue South, NW.,
    Washington, DC. At the meeting, 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. 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.
    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.
    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.
    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

    [[Page 12755]]

    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: December 22, 2010.
    Peggy O'Dell,
    Regional Director, National Capital Region.
    [FR Doc. 2011-5253 Filed 3-7-11; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4312-54-P


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