Court deciding fate of East Potomac Golf Course in DC

Court deciding fate of East Potomac Golf Course in DC

The debate over the fate of the East Potomac Golf Course was back in court on Wednesday. D.C.’s Preservation League is continuing to push for a months-long delay on plans from the Trump administration to overhaul the public golf course. FOX 5 Chief Legal Correspondent Katie Barlow was in the courtroom today for the hearing.

WASHINGTON - The debate over the fate of the East Potomac Golf Course was back in court on Wednesday. 

D.C.’s Preservation League is continuing to push for a months-long delay on plans from the Trump administration to overhaul the public golf course.

Inside the courtroom:

This case has certainly become a hot-button issue. 

Judge Ana Reyes was highly skeptical of the challengers, the D.C. Preservation League. 

They are arguing that the Trump administration has taken steps to overhaul the East Potomac Golf Course, essentially, in Trump’s image, and that major moves like that usually require several hurdles first, such as getting an environmental study and taking public input.

The government says there is no concrete plan and they haven't taken any major steps in that direction.

Dig deeper:

One major issue is this pile of dirt that was transferred from the demolition of the East Wing — a project also facing a separate but similar legal challenge — to the golf course. 

It's sitting on the white course at East Potomac and while people can still play the course, the dirt pile is expected to grow as more debris is moved from the East Wing as construction on Trump's ballroom continues. There are concerns about the safety of this material.

What's next:

At this time, the judge indicated that she wasn't inclined to grant a motion to dismiss. 

She is, however, trying to expedite the case to determine if it should go to trial or not.