Judge chastises Justice Department lawyers after hundreds of trees cut down at D.C. golf course

Judge Reyes sharply criticized Justice Department lawyers on Monday after hundreds of trees were cut at East Potomac Golf Links over the weekend. She said the government had lost credibility and faulted its handling of notice to the court and plaintiffs.

The court had previously asked to be informed about planned construction or similar work at the course. Government lawyers filed notice late Friday that the National Park Service would begin removing trees the next day as part of a landscape rehabilitation project.

A government declaration described an initial removal of 169 trees, then another 90, and estimated 529 trees would be removed overall. The Justice Department later told a preservation group the operation was proceeding faster than expected; rain on Sunday affected plans for more cutting.

The D.C. Preservation League and other plaintiffs sought an emergency order to stop additional removals. They argue that the administration is avoiding environmental review required under the National Environmental Policy Act by dividing work into smaller projects.

National Park Service official Griess said the plan follows a 2019 report recommending restoration of the course’s historic links-style landscape, which typically has fewer trees. Reyes questioned when officials learned of the plans and who approved the weekend work; the hearing addressed those questions as the dispute continued.