National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC; Final Environmental Impact Statement and National Mall Plan, 39969 [2010-16952]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 39969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16952]



[[Page 39969]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC; Final 
Environmental Impact Statement and National Mall Plan

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the National Mall Plan.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332 (2)(c), the National Park Service announces the 
availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 
National Mall Plan (Plan). The Plan establishes a long-term vision for 
the use and management of some of the most historic, symbolic, and 
heavily used public lands in our nation.

DATES: The FEIS for the Plan will remain available for public review 
for 30 days beginning on the date the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available at National Mall and 
Memorial Parks Headquarters, 900 Ohio Drive, SW., Washington, DC, at 
local libraries around Washington, DC, and online at https://www.nps.gov/nationalmallplan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Spain, Project Executive, 
National Mall Plan at (202) 245-4692.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Mall and Memorial Parks is 
proposing to manage the National Mall according to the Plan's Preferred 
Alternative described below. The goals of this Plan are to restore 
resource conditions on the National Mall; better prepare it for the 
intense levels of use from First Amendment demonstrations, national 
celebrations, events, and annual visitation; and provide an enhanced 
experience for the visitors to this symbolic and historic cultural 
landscape.
    During the preparation of the DEIS, the National Park Service (NPS) 
issued four newsletters about the Plan, including one which described a 
preliminary Preferred Alternative. The NPS issued press releases, 
contacted and worked with media to encourage public involvement, posted 
the DEIS on the NPS project Web site, sent out over 13,000 e-mail 
announcements, issued four ``tweets,'' held consultation meetings about 
historic preservation, and made informational presentations to the U.S. 
Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, 
which were open to the public. The NPS distributed over 5800 copies of 
the DEIS on CD and approximately 175 printed copies. The availability 
of the DEIS was announced on December 18, 2009 (74 FR 67206).
    Comments received during the 90-day public comment period (December 
18, 2009--March 17, 2010), as well as approximately 30,000 comments 
received before the DEIS was published, were considered in the 
preparation of the two-volume FEIS. Volume I of the FEIS includes 
revisions to the FEIS based on public comments received during review 
of the Plan. Volume II of the FEIS summarizes and provides the NPS 
response to public comments received on the Plan.

The National Mall Plan Alternatives

    The following elements are common to all alternatives:
     The National Mall and Memorial Parks will fully 
accommodate demonstrations and special events on a first-come, first-
served basis, consistent with the First Amendment and with 36 CFR 7.96.
     Cultural resources will be preserved, protected, and 
managed in accordance with The Secretary of the Interior's Standards 
and with the general recommendations of cultural landscape reports and 
inventories.
    No-Action Alternative Under the No-Action Alternative, current 
management of the National Mall would remain unchanged. Existing spaces 
which have not been designed for the current level of use would 
continue to experience a high level of wear and tear, affecting the 
historic landscape, with the large amount of deferred maintenance and 
aging infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle circulation issues, and 
the lack of adequate visitor facilities left unaddressed.
    Preferred Alternative The Preferred Alternative is the NPS's 
proposed course of action. Its intent is to establish a sense of place 
and an overall identity for the National Mall, combining the most 
desirable components of each of the alternatives as well as the focused 
emphasis of Alternatives A, B, and C. Under the Preferred Alternative, 
the historic landscape of the National Mall, with its memorials and 
planned vistas, would be protected, and the designed landscape would 
evolve and be respectfully rehabilitated. The National Mall would be 
refurbished to become the preeminent civic stage for the Nation, 
capable of accommodating very high levels of use, with the needs of 
visitors being met in an energy-efficient and sustainable manner. Also 
under the Preferred Alternative, the pedestrian environment would be 
improved and recreational activities would be expanded by redesigning 
some areas, increasing recreational equipment rentals, and emphasizing 
connections to the recreational opportunities in adjacent parks, 
thereby contributing to the concept of healthy lifestyles, healthy 
parks, and healthy, more sustainable cities.
    Alternative A--Focus on the Historic Landscape and Education. 
Alternative A would focus on restoring and maintaining the resources of 
the National Mall as a historic landscape. The designed historic 
landscape would evolve and change over time, reflecting significant 
national events. Contemporary uses would be accommodated while 
respecting the planned historic character and visions of the L'Enfant 
and McMillan Plans.
    Alternative B--Focus on a Welcoming National Civic Space for Public 
Gatherings, Events, and High-Use Levels. Alternative B would focus on 
improving the National Mall to be the nation's premier civic space. 
Alternative B would support very high levels of use, emphasizing the 
National Mall's evolving ceremonial, celebratory, cultural, and visitor 
uses. Some areas would be redesigned to provide a more sustainable 
civic forum and a stage for First Amendment demonstrations and other 
events.
    Alternative C--Focus on Urban Open Space, Urban Ecology, 
Recreation, and Healthy Lifestyles. Alternative C would focus on 
meeting the evolving recreational needs in the Nation's capital by 
providing beautiful, enjoyable, and ecologically sustainable open 
spaces that could be adapted to changing recreational patterns of 
diverse local and national users.

    Dated: June 15, 2010.
Margaret O'Dell,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-16952 Filed 7-12-10; 8:45 am]
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