Arlington County Sues to Halt Trump’s Proposed Arch

Arlington County filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to halt construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch and require further environmental review before work proceeds. The county says the National Park Service did not adequately assess the project’s effects or consider alternatives, claims that have not been tested in court. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia against the National Park Service and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. It asks the court to stop the agency’s progress toward construction until the review required under the National Environmental Policy Act is completed. The county’s complaint challenges the agency’s environmental assessment and its conclusion that a more extensive environmental impact statement was not required. It alleges that the review minimized or overlooked possible effects on historic and cultural sites, traffic, emergency access, noise and air pollution. Those impacts are allegations in the lawsuit, not established outcomes. The proposed arch is planned for Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery and across the Potomac River from Washington.