40460 Proposed Rules Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 158 Wednesday, August 15, 2018 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER including your address, phone number, exchanges and gifts from other nations. contains notices to the public of the proposed email address, or other personal It includes a combination of formally issuance of rules and regulations. The identifying information in your designed areas, such as the Mall and the purpose of these notices is to give interested comment, you should be aware that grounds of the Washington Monument, persons an opportunity to participate in the your entire comment including your as well as natural areas, such as the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. personal identifying information may be Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park. made publicly available at any time. The National Mall also contains While you can ask us in your comment monuments, memorials, statues, and DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR to withhold your personal identifying other commemorative works that honor information, we cannot guarantee that important persons, historical events, National Park Service we will be able to do so. To view and the ideals of democracy. The comments received through the Federal monuments, memorials, and sites in the 36 CFR Part 7 eRulemaking portal, go to http:// National Mall and Memorial Parks [NPS–NCR–25928; PPNCNAMAS0, www.regulations.gov and enter 1024– connect visitors directly with American PPMPSPD1Z.YM0000] AE45 in the search box. history and values, cultural heritage, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: and the sacrifices of so many, RIN 1024–AE45 Brian D. Joyner, Chief of Staff, National supporting our national identity as well as individual connections to the larger Special Regulations, Areas of the Park Service, National Mall and national and international experience. National Park System, National Capital Memorial Parks, (202) 245–4468, _ The NPS protects the valuable urban Region, Special Events and NAMA [email protected]. green space within the National Mall Demonstrations SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: and Memorial Parks that accommodates AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. Background a variety of passive and active ACTION: Proposed rule. The National Mall and areas recreational activities for a diverse surrounding the White House in population. SUMMARY: The National Park Service Washington, DC are managed by the President’s Park proposes to revise special regulations National Park Service (NPS) on behalf of related to demonstrations and special the American people. These areas are President’s Park comprises three events at certain national park units in contained within two administrative distinct cultural landscapes that are the National Capital Region. The units of the National Park System: The each fundamental to the park and proposed changes would modify National Mall and Memorial Parks and provide the setting for the ‘‘President’s regulations explaining how the NPS President’s Park. Park’’ as defined by Pierre L’Enfant in processes permit applications for 1791. The White House is the oldest demonstrations and special events. The National Mall and Memorial Parks public building in the District of rule would also identify locations where Within the National Mall and Columbia and has been the home and activities are allowed, not allowed, or Memorial Parks, the NPS administers office of every president of the United allowed but subject to restrictions. more than 1,000 acres of park land States except for George Washington. DATES: Comments must be received by within the District of Columbia, The White House, including its wings, October 15, 2018. including 14 units of the national park serves as the residence of the first ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, system: Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality family, offices for the president and identified by the Regulation Identifier National Monument, Constitution staff, and an evolving museum. Number (RIN) 1024–AE45 by any of the Gardens, Ford’s Theatre National Lafayette Park to the north of the White following methods: Historic Site, Franklin Delano Roosevelt House is a 19th-century public park • Electronically: Federal eRulemaking Memorial, Korean War Veterans redesigned in the 1960s. The park is portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Martin bounded by H Street to the north, Follow the instructions for submitting Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Pennsylvania Madison Place to the east, Pennsylvania comments. Avenue National Historic Site, the Mall, Avenue to the south, and Jackson Place • Hardcopy: Mail or hand deliver to Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam to the west. Lafayette Park is an example National Park Service, National Mall Veterans Memorial, Washington of early American landscape design and and Memorial Parks, 900 Ohio Drive Monument and Plaza, World War I the 19th century neighborhood of the SW, Washington, DC 20024, Attn: Brian Memorial, and World War II Memorial. president. The Ellipse area, or Joyner. The National Mall and Memorial Parks President’s Park South, to the south of Instructions: All comments received also contains more than 150 the White House grounds is another must include the agency name (National reservations, circles, fountains, squares, important cultural landscape. Park Service) and RIN (1024–AE45) for triangles, and park spaces in the center President’s Park South consists of the this rulemaking. Comments will not be of Washington, DC that were created as elliptical park area known as the accepted by fax, email, or in any way part of the L’Enfant plan of the city. Ellipse, Sherman Park to the northeast, other than those specified above. The National Mall is a preeminent and the First Division Memorial Park to Comments received will be posted national landscape that is home to the the northwest. Lafayette Park and the without change to http:// enduring symbols of our country Ellipse provide a dignified transition www.regulations.gov, including any including various trees and gardens that area from an urban environment to the personal information provided. Before symbolize cultural and diplomatic White House environs. They also VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 Aug 14, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\15AUP1.SGM 15AUP1 daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2018 / Proposed Rules 40461 protect and enhance views to and from President’s Park. The NPS also issues an 7.96. These other units—such as the White House and provide a setting average of 800 permits for commercial portions of the Chesapeake and Ohio for the public to view the White House. filming within these parks each year. Canal National Historical Park, National Many national monuments and The NPS dedicates significant resources Capital Parks-East, George Washington memorials are found throughout the to processing permit applications and Memorial Parkway, and Rock Creek park, illustrating the significant role of managing permitted activities in a Park—are located nearby the National President’s Park as a symbolic location manner that mitigates impacts to park Mall and Memorial Parks and within the urban landscape of the resources, secures sensitive locations, President’s Park. The NPS encounters nation’s capital. and keeps visitors safe. management issues related to demonstrations and special events in Demonstrations and Special Events Proposed Rule these locations that are similar to those The buildings, structures, and The NPS proposes to revise the encountered in the National Mall and grounds that compose the National Mall regulations applicable to Memorial Parks and President’s Park. In and Memorial Parks and President’s demonstrations and special events that some cases, a single event such as a foot Park are national symbols of American are held within the National Mall and race will cross through several of these democracy. Citizens from the United Memorial Parks and President’s Park. units. The administrative benefit of States and around the world come to The NPS intends these revisions to (i) having a uniform set of regulations and these areas to participate in American modify regulations explaining how the permit processes for units in close democracy, celebrate freedom, and NPS processes permit applications to proximity to one another supports experience our nation’s history and conduct activities in these areas; and (ii) applying the proposed changes in this culture. The NPS receives regular better identify locations where activities rule to all of the units that are subject requests from the public to conduct are allowed, not allowed, or allowed but to section 7.96. This will allow the NPS demonstrations, which include various subject to restrictions. The NPS intends to better manage these events and types of expressive activity such as these changes to provide greater clarity provide service to the public. The marches and art displays, at locations to the public about how and where applicability of section 7.96 to the within the National Mall and Memorial demonstrations and special events may National Mall and Memorial Parks, Parks and President’s Park. The NPS be conducted in a manner that protects President’s Park, and these other units also receives requests to hold special and preserves the cultural and historic is discussed in more detail below. events, such as wedding ceremonies, integrity of these areas. A summary of the proposed changes national celebratory events, and The supplementary information is contained in the following table, sporting activities, at the same locations. contained below will explain the along with a citation of the regulation Each year, the NPS issues an average of proposed changes to existing regulations that would be changed. The proposed 750 permits for demonstrations and in section 7.96 of Title 36, Code of changes are discussed below in the 1,500 permits for special events within Federal Regulations (36 CFR 7.96). order they appear in the table below. In the NPS units subject to 36 CFR 7.96 (as These regulations govern activities addition to the changes listed below, the explained below).