Date: September 13, 2011
Office of Communications News Release
Release Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2011
For Immediate Release
Bill Line, Toni Braxton 202-619-7400
National Park Service to Hold Public Scoping Meeting regarding Proposed Education Center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on September 15
Washington, D.C. - The National Park Service (NPS) and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (the Fund) will host a Public Scoping Meeting on September 15, to seek the public's input as part of the process of preparing an Environmental Assessment for proposed Education Center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The NPS and the Fund propose to establish an education center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Fund is authorized to construct a visitor center at or near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on federal land, across Henry Bacon Drive. The purpose of the proposed visitor center is to inform and educate the public about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam War, as well as provide a better understanding and a more complete picture of this crucial time in United States history. The site of the proposed education center was approved jointly by the NPS, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) in 2006, and is located on the National Mall, within the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial and is bounded by Constitution Avenue, 23rd, Street Henry Bacon Drive, and the Lincoln Memorial Circle.
As part of this planning effort, a public scoping meeting will be held by the NPS and the Fund on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the NPS' National Capital Region Headquarters' Cafeteria, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Washington, DC (direction provided below). Free parking is available in the National Capital Region Headquarters' parking lot. An open house will follow the meeting to discuss alternatives and site characteristics. Subsequently, NPS staff, Fund staff, and their consultants will present project information.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NPS and the Fund are preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify alternatives and assess the potential impacts of the proposal. The NPS is the lead federal agency, and the NCPC is a cooperating agency. Concurrently, the agencies will conduct consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA).
The public is invited to comment on the proposed Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Center, and to identify potential issues or concerns for consideration in the EA. During the meeting, comments may be submitted via written comment forms or oral comments to a court reporter.
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Anyone not able to attend the public meeting may submit their comments electronically. The NPS will accept written comments regarding planning efforts for the proposed project through 11:59 p.m. on October 3, 2011. The NPS preferred method of receiving comments is on-line at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/NAMA , but the public may also submit comment by fax, or via the U.S. Mail Service.
Fax comments to:
Attn: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Center
(202) 401-0017
Mail comments directly to:
Glenn DeMarr - National Park Service
Attn: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Center
1100 Ohio Dr. SW
Washington, DC 20242
If you require additional information or special assistance to attend and participate in this meeting, please contact Glenn DeMarr at the NPS at (202) 619-7027.
Public Access to the NPS' National Capital Region Office, 1100 Ohio Drive, S.W. Driving:
From VA: Take I-395 N toward Washington (over the 14th Street Bridge). Stay in right lane. Take the first exit East Potomac Park/Park Police. Take the first right turn into the parking lot of National Capital Region Office.
From DC: National Capital Region can be reached either from 15th Street, N.W. or from 395 South via the 9th Street Tunnel. 9th Street Tunnel begins south of Constitution Ave. Go through the tunnel, stay to the right and merge into I-395 South and stay in the far right lane. Take the first exit East Potomac Park/Park Police. At stop sign turn right onto Ohio Drive S.W. At next stop sign turn right onto Buckeye Drive. Turn right onto Ohio Drive, S.W. Turn left into the parking lot of National Capital Region Office.
Go south on 15th Street, N.W. 15th Street becomes Raoul Wallenberg Place. Continue straight on Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th St.). Turn Left onto Maine Avenue, .S.W. then make an immediate right onto East Basin Drive. Immediately get in the left lane and take the first left onto Ohio Drive, S.W. At stop sign turn right onto Buckeye Drive. Take next right onto Ohio Drive, S.W. Turn left into the parking lot of National Capital Region Office.
From MD: Take I-395 South onto SW Freeway toward Virginia. (Stay in the far right lane)Take the Exit East Potomac Park/Park Police. At stop sign turn right onto Ohio Drive, S.W. At stop sign turn right onto Buckeye Drive, S.W. Take next right onto Ohio Drive, S.W. Turn left into National Capital Region parking lot
