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On September 24, 2018, the Secretary of Homeland Security designated Presidential Inaugurations as reoccurring National Special Security Events (NSSEs). This event is attended by the highest officials from all three branches of government, as well as thousands of spectators. On Saturday, January 18, 2025, the NSSE period for the 60th Presidential Inauguration will begin and run until Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5, beginning on Saturday, January 18, 2025, the National Park Service (NPS) is imposing a temporary closure of, and public use limit in, certain designated parklands at National Mall and Memorial Parks and the White House and President’s Park in conjunction with 60th Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2025, as delineated in the attached map and as further delineated by fencing. These temporary closures will remain in place from Saturday, January 18, 2025, at approximately 6:00 p.m., through approximately 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Specifically, there will be temporary vehicle-access restrictions of the following locations at 11:00 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2025, through approximately 5:00 pm on Monday, January 20, 2025, unless otherwise noted: National Mall and Memorial Parks
National Mall and Memorial Parks
Additionally, the Secret Service has determined that the unique security concerns associated with 60th Presidential Inauguration require a prohibition on all unpermitted structures that can be used as weapons and/or used to conceal weapons, which includes props, folding chairs, any type of hollow displays such as puppets, papier mâché objects, coffins, crates, crosses, theaters, cages and statues. It does not include signs and objects meeting the size and material restrictions, portable bullhorns, baby carriages and baby strollers that are in use for their intended purpose, wheelchairs and other devices for the handicapped that are actively being used by a handicapped individual. These restrictions are similar to the restrictions on the size, physical composition, and use of signs, placards and structures on the White House sidewalk set forth in 36 CFR 7.96(g)(5). Unless otherwise noted, these closures and restrictions come at the request of the United States Secret Service (Secret Service) and are necessary to provide a secure perimeter with sufficient stand-off distance to protect participants, invited guests and attending public while they participate in Inaugural events. The temporary restrictions are also necessary to permit the Secret Service to perform security sweeps of the area, facilitate guest arrivals and departures, allow for security screening of attendees, and restrict unauthorized access to the surrounding area. The closures of Madison Drive, NW, and Jefferson Drive, NW, are based on a safety evaluation by the United States Park Police that such roads need to remain closed to vehicular traffic due to the danger posed to the anticipated high volume of pedestrians in the area and the inability of such roads to safely handle a large volume of traffic that would result from the Secret Service’s requested closures. Restricting public access to the Post Office Building is necessary because the USSS has identified security and line-of-sight security concerns associated with the building’s overlooking the NSSE parade route.to allow for security screening of the public and restrict access to certain areas necessary for the safety and security of the event. Less restrictive measures will not suffice for any of these closures or public use limitations because of the need to protect the public and ensure the safe and sufficient passage of the public through the use of limited park closures and a security sweep, and law enforcement agencies with applicable expertise have conducted security-based assessments and determined that these measures are necessary to provide for those needs. First Amendment activities will be subject to uniformly applied security restrictions, including security screenings, the Secret Service’s prohibited items list, identification requirements and other NPS guidelines for attendance. As provided in National Park Service regulations, only authorized structures will be allowed as part of these First Amendment events. Each permitted demonstration group will be escorted to their designated location by the U.S. Park Police and/or monitored by National Park Service Park Rangers. It is further anticipated that Secret Service personnel will temporarily restrict public access in these areas during the installation of anti-scale fencing. These restrictions are expected to begin on Sunday, January 12, 2025, from approximately 2:00 a.m. and continue until approximately 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2025. These public access restrictions are necessary during fence installation to ensure the safety of the public as well as the personnel engaged in installation. Once fence installation is complete in a specific area, public access will be restored until the above-referenced event-related public access restrictions begin at approximately 11:00 p.m. on January 19, 2025. A copy of the United States Secret Service’s letter and map dated January 18, 2025, is attached and incorporated by reference. This temporary and partial closure and public use limit are not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a “significant alteration in the public use pattern.” Further, the public use limit and closure will not adversely affect the park’s natural, aesthetic or cultural values, is not of a highly controversial nature, and does not require a long-term or significant modification in the resource-management objectives of any affected park. Rather, closures and public use limits such as these are commonplace for these types of public events at which heads of state meet with government officials and are necessary to provide the public with as much access as possible to park land while also providing for the security the Secret Service has deemed necessary for this event. 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 though 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. Kevin Griess, Superintendent National Mall and Memorial Parks John Stanwich, Superintendent White House and President’s Park |
Last updated: January 19, 2025