Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told CNN on Sunday that the algae bloom which turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool green was a “momentary thing” caused by algae in the pipes during refilling, not an act of vandalism as President Donald Trump had claimed. The statement clarifies one element of the administration’s narrative while leaving intact its insistence that multiple cuts in the pool’s new liner—totalling 350 feet—were deliberate. Burgum also confirmed that the same contractor would carry out repairs, with no new bidding process, even as the project’s cost has surged from an initial $2 million estimate to nearly $15 million.

The pool was drained this spring, its concrete floor coated in what Trump called “American flag blue,” and a $1.7 million ozone nanobubble system installed to control algae. After refilling, the water turned green and pieces of the coating appeared to peel. Burgum attributed the algae to residual matter in the pipes, while the liner damage, he said, could only have been caused by cutting. The nanobubble technology has since cleared the water, and an Interior Department memo declared it “crystal clear,” with crews vacuuming dead algae from the bottom. The pool was fenced off for the July 4th celebration, which Burgum said was standard safety protocol for the fireworks display, unrelated to water quality.

The administration has arrested more than half a dozen individuals in connection with the damage. Former Olympian David Hearn faces a felony charge of destroying government property; prosecutors allege he ripped up sealant, causing over $1,000 in damage. His lawyers describe the charges as “outrageous” and emblematic of government overreach. Democratic lawmakers have opened an investigation into the no-bid contracts awarded to Ohio-based Green Water Solutions and Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings, both of which had prior ties to Trump. Viewed from Ottawa and Brasília, the Reflecting Pool dispute is part of a wider pattern of extensive and legally contested renovations of Washington landmarks, including the White House and the Kennedy Center.

The pool is to be at least partially drained in the coming week to allow the same contractor to repair the liner gashes. Burgum said the damage could cost tens of thousands of dollars, potentially elevating the offence to a felony. The legal case against Hearn proceeds, with a maximum sentence of 10 years. Congressional investigators are demanding a full accounting of the cost overruns. The next concrete milestone is the completion of the repairs and the first court hearing in the vandalism case.