Legal representatives for the commonwealth of Virginia and the city of Washington entered the fray Saturday, filing a lawsuit to prevent the installation of a new commemorative monument near the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. The two governments characterized the administration’s proposal for the large scale Gateway as “flagrantly unlawful” and argued that the construction would fundamentally change the landscape of the nation’s capital.
The lawsuits increase pressure on the project just before the National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on its approval on Nov 5, the same day the administration told a judge it hopes to begin construction. The project faces opposition from residents and veterans’ groups, who cite a digital analysis showing the structure would shade more than 75,000 graves on 284 days a year. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan recently expressed skepticism regarding the government’s claim that the 250 foot tower would improve regional security, signaling that she may pause the work.