Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool drained again after algae, alleged vandalism
David Hearn pleads not guilty in Reflecting Pool damage case
A former Olympic canoe racer pleaded not guilty on Thursday to deliberately damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
WASHINGTON - The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained again on Friday, just over a month after the pool was refilled. It's the latest step in an attempted rejuvenation project by the Trump administration that's taken months longer and cost millions more than originally projected.
What we know:
Crews with the National Park Service were on the Mall on Friday, using hoses to drain the roughly 4 million-gallon pool.
The backstory:
The pool was refilled in June after weeks of work, including cleaning and installing an "American flag blue" liner. President Donald Trump first announced plans to "beautify" the pool in April, and said he wanted the work done in time for America's 250th birthday celebrations on July 4.
At the time, Trump said the project would cost about $1.5 million. But after weeks more work than anticipated, the price tag ballooned to around $14 million.
Just days after it was filled, algae began to bloom in the pool, and large chunks of paint from the new liner appeared to be peeling.
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Despite Trump's plans to complete the project in time for America's 250th anniversary celebrations, the pool was closed on July 4.
Dig deeper:
Trump has blamed the peeling paint on vandals, claiming that someone ripped a "350-foot gash" in the blue liner.
So far, at least four people have been charged with defacing the monument, including former Olympian David Hearn, who's pleaded not guilty.
RELATED: Former Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty in Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage case
What they're saying:
In a recent podcast interview with Katie Miller, wife of White House chief of staff Stephen Miller, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said officials had planned to drain the pool.
Burgum said that in addition to the algae and paint, debris from Washington, D.C.'s July 4 firework show would have made its way into the pool.
"Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff. Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again," Burgum said.
What we don't know:
It's not clear when this latest round of repairs will be completed, or when the Reflecting Pool will be refilled again.
The Source: Information in this story is from the National Park Service, The Associated Press, the U.S. Department of the Interior and previous FOX 5 DC reports.