Superintendent's "Administrative Order"

W22 HSTR-VRP

Closure Order #20-001

17 March 2020

Closures, restrictions and public use limits:

Closure Order – Portion of a Park Area:

Under the authority provided to the Superintendent in 36 CFR 1.5, the follow park areas and facilities are closed, effective immediately, until further notice:

• The Truman Home, located at 219 North Delaware Street, the Noland/ Haukenberry Home, 216 North Delaware Street, the public access visitor center, 223 North Main Street, all in Independence, Missouri. (The Truman Farm Home in Grandview, Missouri, is already closed to the public for another reason.)

• Park headquarters, at 223 North Main Street, Independence, Missouri.

• Park curatorial storage, Independence, Missouri (not open to the public)

• George Wallace Home (Ranger offices), 605 Truman Road, Independence, Missouri. Authority: 36 CFR 1.5(a)(1)

Restrictions and Public Use Limits: Under the authority provided to the Superintendent in 36 CFR 1.5 , the following activities are restricted in Harry S Truman National Historic Site, effective immediately, until further notice:

• The grounds of the Truman Farm in Grandview, Missouri, are open from dawn to dusk, provided visitors follow existing CDC guidance on social distancing, with visitors being no less than six feet apart, and with no more than 10 persons gathering, in accordance with the State of Missouri “stay at home” order effective Monday, April 6, 2020, and the similar order issued by Jackson County, Missouri, both currently scheduled to expire April 24, 2020.

Authority: 36 CFR 1.5(a)(1)-(2)

Notice: This administrative order applies to all individuals subject to the regulatory authority of the National Park Service (NPS) within the boundaries of Harry S Truman National Historic Site, including park visitors, government employees, concession employees, park residents and stakeholders, except as follows: Park employee living in Government quarters at the Frank Wallace home, 601 Truman Road, Independence, Missouri.

Finding: The NPS issues this administrative order for the purposes of maintaining public health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. This order is consistent with the following state and local public health directives:

• State of Missouri “stay at home” order effective April 6, 2020, presently set to expire on April 24, 2020. https://governor.mo.gov/priorities/stay-home-order
• Jackson County, Missouri, “stay at home” order, effective March 24, 2020, presently set to expire April 24, 2020. https://www.jacksongov.org/DocumentCenter/View/6660/JacksonCounty-Stay-at-Home-Order

These directives require the NPS to take the actions identified above because:

• The number of positive cases of COVID-19 was and is growing exponentially in the Kansas City (MO and KS) metropolitan areas, with multiple fatalities being reported.
• A significant number of park employees self-identify as “at risk” to COVID-19 because of existing health conditions, leaving too few employees for safe operations.
• Public health directives require social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19. Allowing visitors in the historic homes and visitor contact stations is likely to violate the requirement that persons stay at least 6 feet from each other.
• Public health directors and local jurisdictions are prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people. Allowing individuals to mingle and gather within the park increases the risk of disease introduction and spread.

This order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until further notice. The effectiveness of this order will be assessed on an ongoing basis and will be modified or removed when conditions warrant.