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Senate Takes Up National Mall Clutter

April 6, 2005
Concerns about overcrowding and other planning issues affecting the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will be aired next Tuesday April 12th, at a 2:30 p.m. hearing before a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The Subcommittee on National Parks will review "management and planning issues for the National Mall, including the history of development, security projects and other planned construction, and future development plans," Sen. Craig Thomas (R.-Wyoming) said.

Tourists and school groups are often disappointed to arrive at the fabled National Mall, only to find large sections of it closed off for construction, security and other, unspecified reasons. The clutter of construction fences, Jersey barriers and security bollards is also upsetting to many visitors.

"This is a prime opportunity for friends of the National Mall to make their wishes known to the Senators responsible for Mall stewardship," said Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D., president of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall.

Washington architect and planner Kent Cooper, FAIA, will be testifying for the group's year-old Third Century Initiative project. "The National Mall is our nation's stage for democracy. It symbolizes the American devotion to justice, limited government and separation of powers," Cooper said.

"We deeply appreciate Sen. Thomas' interest and concern and welcome the opportunity to share with the Subcommittee our vision of a unified strategy which preserves the National Mall's unique symbolic reflection of our national values while assuring efficient and consistent stewardship in the years ahead." Cooper said.

Cooper's group has previously raised concerns that overbuilding, deferred maintenance and fragmented management threaten the Mall's future. In particular, continued building on the Mall obscures its elegant simplicity, limits public access and generates additional demands for even more building in the future.

The hearing will be held in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Witnesses will include representatives of the National Park Service, the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the National Mall Third Century Initiative, a project of the nonprofit Mall advocacy group, the National Coalition to Save Our Mall. Persons seeking more information should contact Tom Lillie, 202 224-5161, or Brian Carlstrom, 202 224-6293.

Those wishing to submit written testimony should send two copies to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, SD-364 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510-6150. Testimony may be faxed to 202 228-0539.

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