Recent aerial photos taken by a passenger on a commercial flight descending into Washington, DC reveal several renovation projects across the city. Captured on June 16, the images show notable sites such as the algae-covered Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the damaged White House South Lawn from a recent UFC event, and a temporary covering on the National Mall marked with ‘8647.’ This marking has led to an investigation by the U.S. Park Police.
The Department of the Interior completed renovation work on the Reflecting Pool earlier this month. Unfortunately, the pool now has a green hue due to algae, falling short of the clear blue color previously associated with it. This change was initiated by former President Donald Trump in preparation for the country’s 250th anniversary. Workers have been applying hydrogen peroxide to address the algae issue. As of Wednesday, parts of the pool were still discolored.
Concurrently, efforts are underway to restore the White House South Lawn, which sustained damage after the UFC Freedom 250 fight held on June 14. The White House announced on June 16 that ScottsMiracle-Gro and the National Park Service will collaborate to repair the landscape. ScottsMiracle-Gro has pledged $1 million to the restoration project.
USA TODAY is seeking further details from the National Park Service regarding repairs to the National Mall, particularly concerning the discoloration and the controversial mark found there.
Contributing: Bart Jansen from USA TODAY
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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