Agency packed with Trump appointees looks to bypass federal regulations to speed up construction of his DC arch

An independent federal agency packed with Donald Trump appointees has been looking to bypass long-standing federal regulations to speed up construction of the president’s Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C.The 250-foot arch would sit at the end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, across from the Lincoln Memorial.

The massive granite structure would be topped with a golden winged figure flanked by two gilded eagles.Trump has been attempting to leave his mark on D.C.

before his second term ends through several rushed projects, including an expensive White House ballroom and a renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool that turned green from algae shortly after it was complete. The president hopes to finish his arch in a few short years, and The Atlantic reported Sunday that the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation might make changes to a requirement known as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to do it. The preservation council will consider a vote to revise the rules governing Section 106, according to a July 17 email and draft amendments obtained by the publication.

open image in galleryAn independent federal agency packed with Donald Trump appointees has been looking to bypass long-standing federal regulations to speed up construction of the president’s Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C. (AFP via Getty Images)“If adopted, the proposal would give federal agencies broader discretion over preservation reviews, prioritize mitigation over avoiding harm to historic places, and scale back long-standing expectations that officials consider alternative designs or locations before moving forward with building projects,” The Atlantic’s Janay Kingsberry writes.

In the Friday email, Travis Voyles, the vice chair of the council, instructed members to vote on the proposed changes by this Friday. At least seven of the 24 members were appointed by Trump. A White House official told The Atlantic that the Trump administration “has and will follow all legal requirements in constructing the Triumphal Arch.”

open image in galleryThe latest of Trump’s passion projects, the 250-foot arch would sit at the end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and reportedly cost an estimated $100 million (AFP via Getty Images)A spokesperson for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation told The Independent that revising Section 106 is part of a push across the federal government to review regulations and that Voyles announced plans to review the requirement months ago. “The Administration directed agencies across the federal government to take decisive action toward reviewing their existing regulations. The Section 106 regulations were last revised in 2004 and now is an opportune time to consider revisions and updates to a regulatory process that is important to such a broad array of stakeholders and the American public.

“The ACHP's Vice Chairman, Travis Voyles, announced his intentions to review the Section 106 regulations at the ACHP's February Business Meeting and stated his interest in improving and streamlining the Section 106 regulations to ensure they are a reliably useful tool. ACHP Members are currently considering next steps in the revision process,” the spokesperson said. The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.

open image in galleryFifty-two percent of Americans voiced opposition to the arch, compared with 21 percent who favored it in a poll (Getty Images)If given the green light to break ground, there will be 20-hour workdays to build Trump’s arch over two to three years, CBS News reported last month, citing federal documents. The arch is also expected to cost a pretty penny, with an estimated $100 million price tag, according to an Axios report from November. Earlier this month, the National Capital Planning Commission, chaired by Trump appointee William Scharf, voted to advance the president’s arch project, The Washington Post reported at the time.

The vote brings Trump one step closer to building his arch, even as he rejects the need for congressional approval.“We don’t need anything from Congress,” the president told reporters in May.Three Vietnam War veterans sued Trump in February to stop the arch’s construction, claiming the president did not seek proper approval for it.

Meanwhile, 52 percent of Americans voiced opposition to the arch, compared with 21 percent who favored it in a Washington Post/ABC News/Ispsos poll from April. Join our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments