“West Potomac Park is treasured green space and we will not stand for the unlawful destruction of public lands that belong to all of us."
Washington, D.C. – A coalition of advocacy, conservation, and historic preservation organizations and an individual Washington, D.C. resident are asking a federal court to pause unapproved construction at West Potomac Park. The request for a preliminary injunction (pdf) comes in National Parks Conservation Association et al. v. Burgum et al., a case brought by the National Parks Conservation Association, DC Preservation League, National Mall Coalition, Olmsted Network, The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, and D.C. resident Steve Longenecker, which is challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful attempt to remake West Potomac Park, national park land that belongs to all Americans, into a massive sculpture garden complex. The coalition is represented in the matter by Democracy Forward Foundation.
Plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction in light of a flurry of construction activity at the national park site, including the ongoing construction of gazebos as “part of the Garden of American Heroes,” as well as concrete poured for walkways that cross the park’s open fields.
Statement by Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association
“West Potomac Park is treasured green space and we will not stand for the unlawful destruction of public lands that belong to all of us. The Trump administration continues to operate as if the rules don’t apply. They are trampling our public lands, eliminating public process and disregarding laws set by Congress. Our parks bring us together, and we will always fight to protect them.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
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