Virginia, D.C. sue Trump administration to block proposed memorial arch

Virginia and Washington, D.C., have sued to block President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot memorial arch near Arlington National Cemetery, adding to growing legal challenges as the administration prepares to move forward with construction.

The lawsuit, filed Saturday in federal court by Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, argues that the project would cause significant traffic disruptions, environmental damage and interference with emergency services during an estimated three-year construction period.

“As soon as Defendants break ground on this project, they will inflict irreparable harm on both the District and Virginia. The Arch site sits at the center of a major traffic artery between the District and Virginia, in the monumental core of the capital, on an island that straddles the Potomac River," the lawsuit read.

"During the three-year period of construction, the Arch project will inevitably snarl traffic between the jurisdictions, produce pollution and stormwater runoff in the Potomac, interfere with emergency services, and pose numerous other challenges," the lawsuit also read. 

The proposed monument would be located near Memorial Bridge along the Potomac River, which connects Washington with Arlington National Cemetery. 

At 250 feet tall, it would be about 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, measured from its base to the top of its torch.

The Associated Press reported that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is moving to combine the lawsuit with the original one she is overseeing.