Use of the National Mall and adjacent federal reservations is governed by National Park Service law and regulations—primarily 36 C.F.R. §7.96 (National Capital Region) and related NPS permitting authorities (issued under 54 U.S.C.). The NPS issues special-event permits for the National Mall and can condition, deny, or revoke permits and require monitoring/fees; streets and other public ways under District control require DC permits and coordination with the Mayor and District agencies (DDOT, MPD, MSETG). The White House executive order directs Interior and Transportation to designate a route but makes implementation subject to applicable law and available appropriations.
Labeling the race a “special event” under 36 C.F.R. §7.96(g) brings it under the NPS special-event permit regime: the organizer must apply for an NPS permit (applications are processed in order of receipt, may be accepted up to one year in advance), the Regional Director may impose conditions or monitoring, allocate use, charge cost-recovery/monitoring fees, and can restrict or reserve areas. Special-event status does not automatically close public spaces but allows the NPS to set access limits and operational conditions in the permit.
The executive order does not itself assign all operating costs. Under existing law, costs for closures, security, cleanup, and infrastructure work are typically billed to the event permittee: the NPS may recover actual costs under its cost-recovery authorities (see 36 C.F.R. and 54 U.S.C. cost‑recovery rules) and the National Mall & Memorial Parks applies monitoring/maintenance charges; District of Columbia agencies also generally require event sponsors to pay for DDOT public‑space/street‑closure costs and MPD services per local permitting conditions. Final allocation will depend on permit conditions and any interagency funding decisions or appropriations.
A street race would typically require staged road closures, detours, and temporary limits on access to park areas and adjacent federal facilities; transit routes and schedules (WMATA and local buses) would likely be rerouted or adjusted. NPS permits can authorize closures and set times for set-up/takedown; the District’s Special Events Task Force (MSETG) coordinates interagency traffic, security, and public‑information plans. Exact impacts (which streets, how long) will be specified in permits and public notices once the route and permit conditions are finalized.
Drone operations are governed by FAA rules: commercial UAS flights generally require compliance with Part 107 (remote pilot certification) and the FAA Remote ID rule; flights in the Washington, D.C. special-flight/flight‑restricted areas are tightly restricted and normally prohibited without specific FAA authorization (e.g., a special COA/airspace authorization or an FAA-issued waiver). The DOT/FAA coordination called for in the order would be needed to authorize any UAS/aerial photography over or near the Mall; temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) or FRZ/SFRA rules may also apply.
Use of land around national monuments and the National Mall for a race will trigger NPS environmental and historic‑preservation compliance: NEPA review or categorical exclusions as required, consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for impacts to historic properties, and any park‑specific resource reviews; NPS permit processing includes evaluation of potential resource impacts and may require mitigation and monitoring.
Coordination will be led by the agencies named in the order (Secretary of the Interior/NPS and Secretary of Transportation/FAA) in consultation with the Mayor and the District’s Special Events Task Force; the NPS Regional Director and the District Mayor (and the MSETG/MPD/DDOT) will handle local permitting, route approval and operational decisions. Final legal authority over NPS‑managed land and issuance of NPS permits rests with the Department of the Interior (Regional Director/Superintendent) under federal law; the District controls District streets and local public‑safety decisions—so final operational decisions will reflect interagency agreements and applicable federal and local laws.