Particle.news
Download on the App Store
43 ARTICLES
·
4w ago

No‑Bid Lincoln Reflecting Pool Overhaul Draws Scrutiny After Cost, Leak and Contract Failures

New documents show a roughly $13.1 million no‑bid award with an above‑normal profit margin, contractor rework on persistent leaks, use of National Park Service fee funds and an active preservation lawsuit that could prompt oversight.

Construction continues on a temporary arena that will host the UFC Freedom 250 fight event in June on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 27.
Bald eagles fly as workers paint the Reflecting Pool, which is being painted blue at the directive of US President Donald Trump, in Washington, DC, on May 14.
Image

Overview

  • President Trump described the drained pool and its bright‑blue coating during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, saying crews removed about 10 dumpsters of debris and expect to finish work before July 4.
  • Federal records and internal Park Service analyses show the no‑bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings rose to about $13.1 million and included a 20 percent profit and elevated overhead that Park officials called inflated.
  • Internal Park Service reports indicate the contractor initially failed multiple times to seal gaps between the pool’s concrete slabs, requiring removal of material and rework even as a coating was applied.
  • Preservation groups, led by the Cultural Landscape Foundation, sued under the National Historic Preservation Act arguing required review processes were bypassed and a judge allowed work to continue while the case proceeds.
  • An independent analysis shows roughly $67 million in NPS entrance‑fee funds directed to D.C. projects with about $7 million tied to the pool renovation, raising questions about prioritizing capital beautification over park maintenance and risking congressional and legal oversight.