97-14212. Environmental Assessment for Implementation of White House Security Review Vehicular Traffic Restriction Recommendations

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 29779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14212]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY


Environmental Assessment for Implementation of White House 
Security Review Vehicular Traffic Restriction Recommendations

AGENCY: Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury is issuing this notice to 
inform the public of the availability of the Environmental Assessment 
for Implementation of White House Security Review Vehicular Traffic 
Restriction Recommendations. The Environmental Assessment (EA) has been 
prepared to address the environmental impacts of the restriction of 
vehicular access to certain streets in the vicinity of the White House. 
This EA was prepared following the security action pursuant to the 
emergency provision (40 CFR 1506.11) of the Council on Environmental 
Quality's National Environmental Policy Act implementing regulations.

DATES: Comments must be postmarked no later than July 2, 1997. Comments 
should be sent to the address given under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the EA or for further 
information contact Mr. Bill McGovern, Environment and Energy Programs 
Officer, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Room 
6140 Treasury Annex, Washington, DC 20220; telephone [phone]; 
fax [phone]. The EA is also available on the Department of the 
Treasury's home page at http://www.treas.gov. Additionally, copies of 
the EA have been mailed to Federal, State, and local agencies; public 
interest groups; interested individuals; and District of Columbia 
public libraries.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 19, 1995 the Secretary of the 
Treasury ordered the Director of the United States Secret Service to 
restrict vehicular traffic on streets surrounding the White House. The 
Director implemented the action on May 20, 1995. The action was taken 
to provide necessary and appropriate protection for the President of 
the United States, the first family, and those working in or visiting 
the White House complex.
    This action was one of several recommendations resulting from the 
``White House Security Review'' (the Review). The Review was ordered by 
then-Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen after a small plane 
crashed on the South Lawn of the White House. The Review was expanded 
after a shooting incident outside the White House in October of 1994. 
In addition to these two incidents, the review had a broad mandate; 
indeed the Secretary directed the Review to examine ``the dangers posed 
to the White House complex and protectees therein, by air or ground 
assaults.'' The final report of the Review is classified; however a 
``Public Report of the White House Security Review'' was made public in 
May 1995. The Review's recommendation states that it was ``not able to 
identify any alternative to prohibiting vehicular traffic on 
Pennsylvania Avenue that would ensure the protection of the President 
and others in the White House Complex from explosive devices carried in 
vehicles near the perimeter.''
    The goal of the EA was to analyze the environmental impacts 
associated with the security action. Primary focus areas of this EA 
include the effects of changes in traffic patterns on transportation, 
air quality, noise, vibration, and impacts to historic places.
    Available pre-action data was collected from local agencies and 
Federal agencies and supplemented by traffic counts and travel time 
analysis conducted for the EA. With the exception of traffic counts for 
certain intersections, the available pre-action data was not directly 
comparable to the post action measurements and did not allow for 
accurate comparison of before and after action conditions. The analysis 
in the EA describes the conditions after the action and several traffic 
modifications which the District of Columbia's Department of Public 
Works (DCDPW) implemented to alleviate congestion.
    A number of recommendations are discussed which could further 
improve traffic conditions in the area around the White House. These 
recommendations are presented in the EA; however, they are meant for 
consideration by the relevant District of Columbia offices which have 
the legal authority to implement them.
George Munoz,
Assistant Secretary (Management) and Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-14212 Filed 5-30-97; 8:45 am]
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