Nonprofit sues to halt Lincoln Reflecting Pool renovations

A Washington-based nonprofit, the Cultural Landscape Foundation, filed a lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of the Interior and National Park Service, seeking to halt renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The suit alleges violations of the National Historic Preservation Act, claiming the agencies failed to conduct required reviews or consult preservation experts before applying an "American flag blue" coating to the pool's basin. The Reflecting Pool, part of the National Mall Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places, features a dark grey basin intended to create a reflective surface linking the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Foundation President Charles Birnbaum stated, "A blue-tinted basin is more appropriate to a resort or theme park."

The project aims to address chronic leaks of about 16 million gallons of water annually, algae growth and filtration issues. Workers drained the pool, resurfaced it with waterproofing, applied the blue coating and installed an ozone nanobubbler filtration system. The National Park Service awarded a no-bid contract to...