Reyes says Interior should have reviewed the tree plan with the broader redevelopment
Ana C. ReyesU.S. district judge, memorandum opinion
Reyes concludes that the tree management plan is one part of the Washington National Plan, that Interior should have treated it as such, and that Interior likely segmented its environmental review in violation of NEPA.
“The TMP is one part of the Washington National Plan, and DOI should have treated it as such.”
Original text
Other statements by Ana C. Reyes in this case
- Reyes bars further tree removal, finding the plaintiffs likely to show the Park Service did not comply with the environmental review lawEarlier: Condemned
- Reyes denies the disqualification motion, saying what happened was not bias but the government's decision to remove treesEarlier: Challenged the characterization
Where this statement fits
Judge bars further tree removal at East Potomac Golf Course and rejects a Justice Department motion to disqualify her
The National Park Service removed about 430 trees from East Potomac Golf Course in Washington on October 10, 2026, the morning after the government gave notice in a lawsuit by the DC Preservation League and two golfers that challenges the Trump administration's plans for the course. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes barred further removal, finding the plaintiffs likely to show the agency did not comply with required environmental review. The government then moved to disqualify her for bias, and she denied the motion on October 18. The next day President Trump attacked the judge and said work would begin immediately.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
The opinion finds likely success on the environmental-review claim and grants preliminary relief. It is not a final merits judgment.
Before the quotation
Reyes finds that three of four factors favor the plaintiffs and that Interior and the Park Service likely violated NEPA by impermissibly segmenting their environmental compliance efforts.
After the quotation
She says Interior still can and must treat it that way, and will likely need to study the Washington National Plan's cumulative environmental effects before it progresses further. The opinion then turns to irreparable harm.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to proceeding without review of the combined environmental effects, Reyes expressly rejects treating the tree plan separately from the broader redevelopment.
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More from this case
Read the full caseTrump says Interior has "an absolute right" to renovate the course and calls the judge "a crazed lunatic"
“The United States Department of Interior wants to take a terrible and very unsafe golf course, and make it into a great, safe, and prestigious golf course. They have an absolute right to do so. It’s as simple as that! The judge on the case is a crazed lunatic whose courthouse tapes will reveal, may be insane?”Read statement
DC Preservation League says the government razed hundreds of trees before the plaintiffs could challenge the work
DC Preservation League
“But, on October 10, Defendants did exactly what they said they would not do: they razed hundreds of trees on the golf course before Plaintiffs had an opportunity to challenge Defendants’ actions.”Read statement
Government's disqualification motion calls the work authorized tree maintenance
U.S. Department of the Interior
“Notably, all of this concerned the government’s performance of authorized tree maintenance in East Potomac Park.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Reyes says Interior should have reviewed the tree plan with the broader redevelopment". First published: 2026-10-28. Last updated: 2026-10-28. https://disputeindex.com/events/7061-reyes-concludes-that-the-tree-management-plan-is