Democrats demand Trump remove East Wing debris ‘recklessly’ dumped at East Potomac Park
Many Democrats are criticizing the Trump administration for dumping tons of construction debris for President Trump’s ballroom project; Some of these tested positive for toxic chemicals and are located in Hains Point, on land overseen by the National Park Service near three Washington, D.C., public golf courses.
Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) and Del. “For approximately eight months, golfers, cyclists, runners, fishermen, and the public were exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury,” Eleanor Holmes Norton (DD.C.) said in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum requesting removal of the debris.
“Even more troubling is your failure to provide reliable testing results regarding potential asbestos content that may have been incorporated into demolition materials in the East Wing,” they continued. “These contaminants are buried in debris piles just yards from the shore of the Potomac River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay where people fish and paddle.”
The Interior Department said in a statement to The Hill on Friday that “the soil has been tested repeatedly by multiple parties and this project meets all standards established by law.”
A spokesperson for the department said: “This comprehensive process was followed to ensure the transfer was safe for the public. All findings are available online and made public.” “President Donald J. Trump is delivering on his pledge to make D.C. Safe and Beautiful, as evidenced by record low crime rates and renovations to fountains across the capital.”
The letter sounds like Trump eyes redesigned of East Potomac Golf Links, one of three public golf courses located on National Parks land in the D.C. system and managed by the nonprofit National Links Trust since the coronavirus pandemic.
East Potomac Golf Links is located on land owned by the National Park Service (NPS), which leases the property to the National Links Trust (NLT).
Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced an agreement with NLT that allows East Potomac Golf Courses to continue operating “until the National Park Service is ready to begin a historic restoration there.”
The project in East Potomac Park has faced legal challenges from local conservation groups, and a judge ruled last month that NPS must notify the conservation group if it plans to cut down more than 10 trees or perform other maintenance on the property.
“Since the East Wing of the White House was first built in 1902, when lead paint was a ubiquitous paint material, the contamination results are not surprising,” the lawmakers wrote. “As the test results show, these piles of debris are nothing more than ‘clean fill’ and pose a major threat to human health and the environment.”
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