A council stacked with appointees loyal to President Trump is moving toward rewriting the rules that govern how federal projects are reviewed for their impact on historic sites — and critics say the timing is no coincidence.
Opponents of the effort argue the push to change these long-standing preservation guidelines could help speed up approval for the president’s proposed triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., which currently must go through a historic preservation review before it can move forward.
Beyond that single project, critics warn that weakening these review rules could put historically significant sites across the entire country in jeopardy.
A mock-up of the proposed arch was on display at a state fair held on the National Mall in Washington in June, giving the public a preview of what the structure could look like if it ultimately receives approval.
