Judge Critiques Tree Removal at DC Golf Course

A federal judge has expressed strong disapproval of Trump administration officials regarding the removal of hundreds of trees from East Potomac Golf Links, a historic golf course in Washington, DC. She pointed out that the government fell short in providing adequate notice, despite her previous orders to inform the court before any significant actions were taken.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by President Joe Biden, raised her voice during a recent hearing about the 106-year-old public golf course, as reported by Newsweek.

The government had notified the court on October 9 about planned restoration work, including tree removal. However, just two days later, plaintiffs involved in the case reported that 529 trees had already been cut down.

Reyes remarked that taking down such a large number of trees without proper notification “has cost the government all of its credibility” in this matter.

“I trusted you all not to do precisely what you have done,” she stated, conveying her confusion over the government’s actions.

An attorney representing the government argued that they had done their utmost to follow the judge’s earlier directives requiring notice before any tree cutting took place.

Reyes countered, “No, you did not do your best. You did your absolute worst.”

She didn’t accept the Justice Department’s claim of being unaware of the details regarding the tree removal plan, asserting, “Ignorance is not an excuse.”

To address this situation, Reyes issued a halt on tree removal until at least 7 a.m. on Tuesday and warned of potential contempt proceedings if her order was disregarded.

“If that order is violated by two seconds, there are going to be contempt proceedings,” she stated firmly.

Frank Lands, the Deputy National Park Service Director, testified that he learned about the plans to cut the trees on October 5, just five days prior to the work’s execution, as directed by the Department of the Interior.

The court also heard that Lands was instructed to quickly implement actions based on a 2019 report from the National Park Service, though he admitted he didn’t understand the urgency behind it.

Reyes raised concerns about possibly being misled about the timeline surrounding these conversations and plans, expressing her disappointment with the government’s conduct.

The Department of the Interior defended the tree removal, stating that the National Park Service was finally acting on a plan formulated years ago.

According to an Interior Department spokesperson, “The National Park Service is finally implementing a 7-year-old plan to address tree overgrowth at East Potomac Golf Course.” They emphasized that the work aims to restore the course’s historic character through selective tree and vegetation management.

The spokesperson also acknowledged the significance of trees to both the park and its visitors, stating, “This carefully planned work is part of our required stewardship of the park.”

The wider contention relates to plans to upgrade East Potomac Golf Links to a championship-level facility. Both individual golfers and the DC Preservation League have contested the project, arguing that the government is proceeding without adhering to federal environmental and historic preservation regulations.

Previously, Reyes had voiced concerns that work might advance without the court’s ability to intervene. Back in a July 2 hearing, she had sought stronger commitments from the Trump administration, instructing the involved parties to draft language that would prevent the court and plaintiffs from unexpectedly discovering that work was being done at the golf course at odd hours.

At that time, she refrained from taking formal action, stating, “I’m not going to assume the agency is going to act in bad faith.”