A New Contractor Steps In To Save the Algae-Ridden Reflecting Pool, but Its CEO Comes With His Own Legal Baggage
The renovations continue.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool saga has officially entered a new chapter, as the Trump administration has brought on yet another contractor to tackle the persistent algae blooms that have turned the iconic site green. According to CNN, this time, the Department of the Interior has awarded a $2.7 million contract to American Ag Energy, a firm based in Massachusetts that focuses on renewable energy technology.
While the immediate goal is to address the sewage and water purification systems, this latest move brings the total cost of renovations and maintenance at the pool to nearly $20 million for 2026 alone, and roughly $49.9 million since the major reconstruction project that began back in 2010, per Newsweek. What started with an initial estimate of around $2 to $3 million from President Donald Trump has ballooned significantly as the work faced one setback after another.
The contract awarded to American Ag Energy last week is set for one year. However, it includes provisions that could see it extended for five additional years, potentially pushing the total value of this specific agreement up to $8.8 million.
This is a massive investment for a site that has struggled with maintenance for decades
Even a $30.7 million rehabilitation project completed in 2012 under the Obama administration, couldn’t help the shallow, sun-exposed nature of the pool. This has made it a breeding ground for algae, proving just how difficult it is to balance that perfect mirror-like aesthetic with the reality of natural water conditions.
To add to the mess, the selection of American Ag Energy comes with complications. Richard Rosen, the CEO of the company, has his own history of legal drama. Last year, he was convicted of voter fraud for casting ballots twice in the 2016 election, once in Massachusetts and once in New Hampshire. Although that conviction was overturned by the state supreme court earlier this year due to incorrect evidentiary rulings by a judge, the case is not fully behind him.
Rosen is currently in mediation with the New Hampshire attorney general’s office, as the charges could potentially be refiled. Despite this, Rosen appears confident in his team’s ability to handle the pool. He told reporters that he first learned of the algae issue through his company directors and subsequently through news reports. “I realized that I actually knew how to solve this problem,” he said.
This is not the first time a contractor has faced scrutiny during this renovation
Earlier this summer, the administration deployed Greenwater Services, an Ohio-based company with ties to J.J. Cafaro, a donor to Trump. Cafaro had previously pleaded guilty in 2001 to conspiracy to bribe an Ohio representative. That firm used ozone nanobubbler technology to clean the water, but the algae returned, and the new “American flag blue” liner at the bottom of the pool began to peel.
The administration initially blamed these issues on vandals, a narrative that led to the arrests of several individuals, including Olympian canoeist David Hearn. However, the Department of Justice eventually dropped the felony charges against Hearn after a court filing from the DC US Attorney’s office acknowledged that the renovation work itself was “hasty and botched.”
Trump did not take kindly to that assessment. He relayed his frustration on Truth Social stating, “I don’t know what she was thinking? To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM.”
The current situation feels like a never-ending cycle of repairs and costs
The new contractors are now taking a different approach by conducting biological and chemical testing to pinpoint the exact environmental factors contributing to the blooms. They are trying to avoid a repeat of the past failures, but the public remains skeptical.
A June 2026 Economist/YouGov poll showed that 49% of Americans disapproved of the renovation efforts, compared to only 31% who approved. The monumental costs of the project are why it is under such intense scrutiny from lawmakers and taxpayers alike.
For now, Rosen and his team are on-site surveying the area. Referring to the National Park Service, he noted, “They want me to solve it the right way, okay, and they’re doing a very good job, trying to do the right thing and I will be very helpful to them.” Whether this latest effort will finally produce a lasting result or just add more to the nearly $50 million spent on the landmark over the last 16 years remains to be seen.
The administration continues to frame this as part of a broader campaign to make the nation’s capital “safe and beautiful” for the 250th anniversary, but for the millions of tourists who visit the Lincoln Memorial, the real test will be whether the water stays clear long enough for them to actually see their own reflection.
(Featured image: SWinxy)
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