News Release

National Park Service seeks public input on the development of an updated management plan for the Civil War Defenses of Washington

Image of an anniversary event commemorating the Battle of Fort Stevens.

NPS

News Release Date: March 13, 2025

Contact: National Capital Region

WASHINGTON— The National Park Service (NPS) invites the public to share comments on the development of a Management Plan (Plan) update and a corresponding Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Civil War Defenses of Washington (CWDW) located in the District of Columbia; Fairfax County, Virginia; and Prince George’s County, Maryland. The plan will serve as an amendment to the 2004 Fort Circle Parks General Management Plan (GMP), which placed park areas into management zones focused on cultural (historic) resource protection, recreation, natural resource protection, and visitor services, among others.

Historically, 68 forts and 93 batteries armed with more than 800 cannons encircled Washington, D.C. Today, you can visit 18 of the original sites, which make up the Civil War Defenses of Washington, now managed by the National Park Service. These include Fort Bunker Hill, Fort Bayard, Fort Stevens, Battery Ricketts, Battle Kemble, the 150th Ohio National Guard Infantry Monument, 122nd New York Volunteer Infantry Monument and Fort Chaplin. The NPS needs to update how different zones within the Civil War Defenses of Washington are managed. The NPS cares for 18 historic fort sites across 130 acres. As part of this Plan, NPS will review how these areas are used to improve access to the sites and protect the landscape. Alternative management zones may be offered to provide more flexibility to meet changing community needs and goals.  The 45-day public comment period is the first step in the EA process that the NPS is conducting in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

How to comment: Public participation is vital to the planning process. There are several ways to get involved. Provide comments and identify any issues or concerns about the project from March 26, 2025, through May 9, 2025.  A virtual public scoping meeting will be held on March 26, 2025, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Join meeting on your mobile device or computer. Meeting ID: 228 378 697 110 Passcode: p6ck9Jz2 

You can also dial into the call: 877-286-5733 (Conference ID: 974241009#). Meeting presentation materials and a video recording of the meeting will also be available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CWDWplan after March 26, 2025. An ASL interpreter and live captioning will be available upon request.

Please contact e-mail us by March 17, 2025, to request an ASL interpreter and live captioning. Written comments may be submitted electronically at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CWDWplan website, (the NPS preferred method) or mailed to: Superintendent, Attn: CWDW MGMT Plan Update, National Park Service, 3545 Williamsburg Lane NW, Washington, DC 20008. Mailed comments must be postmarked by May 9, 2025, to receive consideration.  

Please be aware that the entire comment submitted, including Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as address, phone number, and email address may be made publicly available. Requests to withhold such PII from public release will be considered, but there is no guarantee it will be withheld.    

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE   More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s more than 430 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.