Parkland in the lower level of the park, identified in the map attached to this Record of Determination, will be fully closed to all public use effective on Thursday July 2, 2026 beginning at 7:00 a.m. and lasting through 10:30 a.m. The closed areas will be more specifically identified by security personnel staged at park entrances. The closed areas will be accessible only to Department of War employees and contractors, National Park Service employees, US Park Police officers, and event guests. The temporary closure of this park area is necessary to provide a safe and secure venue for the activity. Less restrictive measures are not possible given the need for security for the Secretary of War and other senior Department of War officials. This temporary and partial closure is not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a "significant alteration in the public use pattern." Portions of Meridian Hill Park and other nearby park areas will remain open to the public. Accordingly, the National Park Service has determined publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted under 36 CFR 1.5(c). The partial and temporary park closure and public use limitation is consistent with hundreds of other temporary park closures, the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor, and judicial adjudications. ANSWER coalition v. Norton, No. 05-0071, (D.D.C. January 18, 2005, Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02-1715 (D.D.C. August 22, 2002), plaintiffs’ emergency motion for appeal for injunction pending appeared 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. Lujan, No. 90-1261 (D.D.C. May 30, 1990); Picciotto v. Hodel, No. 87-3290 (D.D.C. December 7, 1987); Speigel v. Babbitt, 855 F Supp. 402 (D.D.C. 1994), affd in parr wlo op. 56F. 3d 1531(D.C.Cir. 1995), reported in full, 1995 US App. Lexis 15200 (D.C.Cir. May 31,1995). Pursuant to 36 CFR 1.7, notice of this temporary and partial closure will be made through onsite communication to the public and by the posting of this Record of Determination on the park’s website. Finally, pursuant to 36 CFR l.5(c), this determination is available to the public upon request. Brian D. Joyner Superintendent |
Last updated: July 1, 2026