Debris from the demolition of the White House East Wing, dumped at the East Potomac Golf Links, has tested positive for toxic metals including lead and chromium, according to a report by the National Park Service. The interim report, conducted by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., also detected PCBs, pesticides, and petroleum byproducts in soil samples at levels above laboratory reporting limits.
The park service began transporting over 30,000 cubic yards of excavated soil from the East Wing to the golf course in October. The DC Preservation League has sued the Trump administration, arguing the dumping was unlawful and potentially hazardous. The lawsuit also challenges the administration’s takeover of the golf course and other public spaces in Washington, D.C.
The Interior Department, which oversees the park service, maintains that the soil was tested multiple times and met all legal standards. However, critics, including Harvard professor Joseph G. Allen, argue that lead exposure poses significant health risks, as it can be tracked indoors on shoes. The administration plans to renovate the golf course, a project tied to broader efforts to reshape public spaces in the capital, including the demolition of the East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom.