As previously mentioned,  these key practices are allocating resources using risk management,  leveraging technology, information-sharing and coordination, performance  measurement and testing, aligning assets to mission, and strategic  management of human capital. Furthermore, the Park Police obligated funds during this time for security  personnel and equipment support, such as X-ray machines, body armor,  and vehicles. Department of Agriculture

USDA has obligated about $25 million for physical security enhancements  for its facilities on or adjacent to the National Mall since September 11. Agencies are required  to coordinate with reviewing organizations and consider aesthetics,  historic preservation, urban design, urban planning, and environmental  impacts when implementing physical security enhancements. National Mall Agencies and Review Organizations Identified Steps That Can Make the Review Process More Efficient

Several agency officials, along with the review organizations, stated that  early and frequent consultation helps to ensure a smoother, more efficient  review process. As a result, NCPC has praised the Smithsonian on its  efforts to balance necessary security enhancements with public access  and aesthetics. Furthermore, although visitors reported that  current levels of public access and appearance are satisfactory, the survey  results also suggest that visitors regard access and aesthetics as important  priorities when adding security measures to the National Mall. However, none of the  federal agencies reported using one key practice—aligning assets to  mission—to implement physical security enhancements because they do  not believe that they have excess or underutilized facilities on the National  Mall or elsewhere or consider the practice applicable to properties under  their jurisdiction. Balancing Mission Priorities with the Need for Physical Security Enhancements Poses Common Challenge

Although we found that agencies on the National Mall are using most of the  key practices we identified for the protection of facilities, officials from  most of these agencies identified a common challenge in using these  practices and, in fact, in implementing all types of physical security  enhancements. On the  National Mall, federal agencies are in the early stages of designing and  implementing permanent perimeter security barriers to protect their  facilities and the visiting public. Officials from the other agencies also  provided clarifying and technical comments, which we incorporated into  this report where appropriate. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to assess (1) physical security enhancements that have  been implemented on the National Mall since September 11, 2001, the  additional enhancements planned, and the costs of these enhancements;  (2) the considerations given to incorporating access and aesthetics in  designing and approving physical security enhancements on the National  Mall, and how issues of access and aesthetics are perceived by visitors in  relation to these enhancements; and (3) examples of how federal agencies  are using key practices to implement physical security enhancements on  the National Mall, and any challenges the agencies are experiencing in  using these key practices. In addition, we  conducted a 3-minute intercept survey of visitors to the National Mall to  determine (1) the extent to which visitors to the National Mall feel that  security measures on the National Mall affect access to sites on the  National Mall and the appearance of the National Mall; (2) the extent to  which visitors to the National Mall feel that additional security measures  are needed; (3) the priority that National Mall visitors would assign access  to the National Mall and the appearance of the National Mall, in the event  that additional security measures are added; and (4) whether security  measures affect the likelihood that National Mall visitors will return. We requested official comments on this report from  the Smithsonian, the Department of the Interior, USDA, and the National  Gallery. National Capital Planning Commission. Washington, D.C.: September 2001.
Why GAO Did This Study

The National Mall in Washington, D.C., encompasses some of our country's most treasured icons and serves as a public gathering place for millions of visitors each year. The National Air and Space Museum, for example, was the most visited museum worldwide in 2003, hosting 9.4 million visitors. Federal agencies with facilities on the National Mall have begun implementing physical security enhancements to protect their facilities and the visiting public. This report responds to Congressional interest in the efforts and expenditures pertaining to these security enhancements and discusses (1) the physical security enhancements that have been implemented on the National Mall since September 11, 2001, the additional enhancements planned, and the costs of these enhancements; (2) the considerations given to incorporating access and aesthetics into the design and approval of these security enhancements, and how issues of access and aesthetics are perceived by visitors in relation to these enhancements; and (3) examples of how federal agencies are using key practices to implement the enhancements, and any challenges the agencies are experiencing in using these key practices. In commenting on a draft of this report, the Smithsonian Institution, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and National Gallery of Art provided clarifying and technical comments, which were incorporated into this report where appropriate.

What GAO Found

Since September 11, 2001, federal agencies on the National Mall have obligated about $132 million for physical security enhancements, with the National Park Service and the Smithsonian accounting for about 75 percent of the total obligations. Security enhancements include additional security personnel, facility upgrades, and equipment and technology. Planned enhancements include the installation of permanent security barriers to protect against vehicle bombs. Public access and aesthetic considerations are integral to the design and approval of security enhancements on the National Mall. Federal agencies must coordinate with reviewing organizations, such as the National Capital Planning Commission, and consider aesthetics, historic preservation, urban design, urban planning, and environmental effects when implementing security enhancements. Although federal agencies reported that the review process can be time-consuming, review organizations noted that early and frequent consultation with them helps to ensure a smoother, more efficient, and expeditious review process. GAO's survey of about 300 visitors to the National Mall, and reports from federal agencies, indicate that visitors value access to and the appearance of the National Mall and generally find the current level of security enhancements acceptable. GAO's survey results also suggest that visitors regard access and aesthetics as important priorities when adding security enhancements to the National Mall. Federal agencies on the National Mall reported using five of the six key practices identified by GAO--allocating resources using risk management, leveraging technology, information-sharing and coordination, performance management and testing, and strategic management of human capital--in implementing physical security enhancements. However, none of the federal agencies on the National Mall reported using the key practice of aligning assets to mission in implementing security measures because they believe they do not have excess or underutilized facilities or consider the practice applicable to property under their jurisdiction. Agencies identified balancing ongoing mission priorities with the need for security as a common challenge in using key practices to implement physical security enhancements.