Story perspectives

Lincoln Reflecting Pool Drained Again, Vandals Charged, $16M Repairs

7/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained a second time in mid-July for repairs, with refill later.
Costs have risen from $1.5 million to $16 million, with Atlantic Industrial Coatings and Green Water Solutions as primary contractors.
Four individuals, including Olympic canoeist David Hearn, were charged with damaging the liner and pleaded not-guilty.
President Donald Trump said vandals cut a 300-yard gash in the liner, but photos have not confirmed it.

History

Historical Context

In 1993 the National Park Service spent $15 million, overseen by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, to seal cracks and replace 1,200 sq ft of marble at the Lincoln Memorial. Decades of deferred upkeep resurfaced in 2024 when Atlantic Industrial Coatings and Green Water Solutions began a $16 million Reflecting Pool liner repair, echoing earlier budget overruns and prompting calls for tighter federal oversight of monument preservation.

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Story summary

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained a second time in mid-July for repairs, with refill later.
Costs have risen from $1.5 million to $16 million, with Atlantic Industrial Coatings and Green Water Solutions as primary contractors.
Four individuals, including Olympic canoeist David Hearn, were charged with damaging the liner and pleaded not-guilty.
President Donald Trump said vandals cut a 300-yard gash in the liner, but photos have not confirmed it.

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