Date: September 13, 2011
Public Meeting
The National Park Service (NPS) invites you to attend an informational public meeting to provide an overview of design alternatives for improving the visitor screening facility at the Washington Monument (Monument), located in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the proposal is to improve the security and visitor flow at the Washington Monument in a manner that preserves the character and visitor experience of the Washington Monument and Grounds.
The meeting will be hosted by NPS on September 20, 2011, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Columbus Club (in the northeast corner of the Main Hall). Presentation boards describing the project will be on view to the public starting at 4:30 pm, with a presentation from the project team beginning at 5:00 pm. After the presentation, NPS staff will be posted at various stations in order to be able to respond directly to questions and provide additional information about the proposed project.
Previously, the NPS hosted a public scoping meeting for this project on November 8, 2010, to initiate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. At that time, the NPS presented several preliminary design alternatives. However, initial public input indicated that a wider range of alternatives should be explored. In response, the NPS developed a number of broader "ideas" for guiding the eventual design solution. The public comment period was extended through March 31, 2011 and these "ideas" were made available to the public through the Planning and Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website and through presentation boards which were set up at the Monument Lodge on the Washington Grounds so that visitors to the Monument could provide input. A Section 106 consultation meeting was held on March 24, 2011, during which additional alternatives were suggested to the design team. The purpose of the September 20, 2011, meeting is to share the full range of design alternatives which have been developed with the members of the public and consulting parties to inform both the environmental compliance process pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act as well as the effects on cultural resources related to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
If you wish to comment on the Washington Monument Visitor Screening Facility Project, a court reporter will be present at this meeting to transcribe comments, or you may submit them on-line (the NPS-preferred method of receiving comments) via the PEPC website, by fax, or mail them directly. The NPS will accept comments on the proposed project through October 23, 2011.
Submit comments on-line by following the appropriate links at:
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WAMO
Fax comments to:
Attn: Washington Monument Security and Visitor Screening Improvement Project
(202) 401-0017
Mailed directly to:
Greg Cody, Technical Specialist for Cultural Resources Attn: Washington Monument Security and Visitor Screening Improvement Project Denver Service Center National Park Service 12795 W. Alameda Parkway PO Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225-0287
