Judge blocks Trump admin. from felling trees at D.C. golf course

Washington — A federal judge on Tuesday barred the Trump administration from removing trees at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., for another two weeks after hundreds of trees were felled at the historic public course over the weekend.U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said in a brief order that the Department of the Interior and National Park Service may not cut down any further trees at East Potomac through Oct. 26. She also said that through that date, the Trump administration must provide the court and plaintiffs, the D.C. Preservation League and two local golfers, with three business days' notice before "making any irreparable modification to any permanent form or feature" of the course.Reyes said the D.C.

Preservation League and golfers will likely be harmed without relief. The plaintiffs are challenging President Trump's planned overhaul of East Potomac."The administration has time and again tried to avoid the law in their mad rush toward converting a public recreation space to a high-end golf course and today's order will stop them from doing further irreparable harm to a precious public resource," lawyers for the D.C. Preservation League and two residents said. "We are pleased that the court intervened and will prevent additional work while we seek more lasting relief."The brief order comes after the judge fiercely chastised the Justice Department during