Soil at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington has tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals from the demolition of the White House's East Wing, according to National Park Service data released last week. The contaminants were found in debris the Trump administration dumped between the fourth and ninth holes of the public course near the Jefferson Memorial. The Park Service says the levels don't exceed EPA safety thresholds for industrial and commercial sites.

The administration bypassed environmental review laws to drop truckloads of mud, rebar, plaster and other demolition waste at the 105-year-old golf course. Trump now plans to transform it into a championship venue, likely ending the existing mini-golf course and a popular cycling and running roadway. Current weekday green fees run $42 for 18 holes, a bargain in the capital.

The DC Preservation League is suing, arguing the dumping was unlawful and potentially hazardous to golfers, community members and wildlife. Some samples exceeded California's more stringent lead standards, even though they passed federal thresholds. "There's no safe level of exposure to lead," said Harvard professor Joseph G. Allen, who noted the toxic metal can be tracked indoors on shoes and poses particular risks to children.