Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5, continuing from the July 9, 2026, Record of Decision (ROD), the National Park Service (NPS) will continue to impose temporary closures to the public of certain designated parklands at the National Mall and Memorial Parks until Saturday, September 10, 2026. The extent of these closures are limited temporally and geographically as much as possible while still providing for the safety and security of the resource and to ensure public safety while work is undertaken. Additionally, this closure should be uncontroversial as it is required to safely complete work needed to secure and protect NPS resources. The specific locations and duration of these temporary closures are described below, delineated in the map below, and further delineated by fencing or other physical barriers on-site (see figure 1 below). The closures will be lifted or reduced as soon as it is no longer necessary, restoring access to the public as soon as practicable. Violation is prohibited. Unless otherwise noted, it is anticipated that USPP personnel will restrict access at the following location and times—all times are local. Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool The following areas will continue to be closed to visitor access until Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (all times local).
These temporary and partial closures are not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a “significant alteration in the public use pattern.” Further, the closures will not adversely affect the parks’ natural, aesthetic or cultural values, are not of a highly controversial nature, and do not require long-term or significant modification in the resource-management objectives of any affected park. Rather, these closures are limited temporally and geographically as much as possible while still providing for the safety and security of the resource and to ensure public safety while work is undertaken (for instance, maintaining access to memorials and restrooms around the reflecting pool wherever possible). Additionally, these closures should be uncontroversial as they are required to safely complete work needed to secure and protect NPS resources. Closures such as these are commonplace when there are safety or security concerns related to visitor access and impacts on resources and while the NPS is performing work with equipment that could pose a hazard to members of the public. Accordingly, the National Park Service determines publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted under 36 C.F.R. § 1.5(b). This is consistent with hundreds of earlier partial and temporary park closures or public use limitations, the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor, and judicial adjudications. Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02-1715 (D.D.C. August 29, 2002), plaintiff’s emergency motion for injunction pending appeal denied Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02- 5275 (D.C. Cir. September 9, 2002) (per curiam); Picciotto v. United States, No. 99-2113 (D.D.C. August 6, 1999); Picciotto v. United States, No. 94-1935 (D.D.C. September 9, 1994); Picciotto v. Lujan, No. 90-1261 (D.D.C. May 30, 1990); Picciotto v. Hodel, No. 87-3290 (D.D.C. January 26, 1988); Spiegel v. Babbitt, 855 F. Supp. 402 (D.D.C. 1994), aff'd in part w/o op. 56 F.3d 1531 (D.C. Cir. 1995), reported in full, 1995 US App. Lexis 15200 (D.C. Cir. May 31, 1995). Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.7, notice of this temporary and partial closure and public use limit will be made through media advisories, maps, fencing, and by posting at conspicuous locations in the affected park areas. Finally, pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5(c), this determination is available to the public upon request. Mike Commisso /s/ 8/6/2026 Deputy Superintendent 
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Last updated: August 6, 2026