The Trump administration has started work on the planned redevelopment of the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C., according to Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Jared Huffman of California, the top Democrat on the committee, said during a hearing that the National Park Service hired a civil engineering firm to begin work on the historic public golf course without public announcement or prior notification to Congress. A contract approved last week authorizes nearly $389,355 for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., a Massachusetts-based company with offices in Washington, D.C., to perform environmental and historic preservation compliance work at the course. The park service has since posted a projected construction contract worth up to $49 million, with an expected solicitation date of Jan. 31, 2027. The administration said it has reached an agreement with Fazio Golf Design to create plans for the renovations. President Trump has expressed a desire to transform the golf course into a world-class venue, capable of hosting major tournaments such as The U.S. Open, The Ryder Cup, and The PGA Championship. This project is part of his broader vision for Washington, D.C., which includes other developments such as a $400 million White House ballroom and the construction of a triumphal arch. East Potomac Park, including the East Potomac Golf Links, was established by a congressional act in 1897 for the "recreation and the pleasure of the people." The course opened in 1919. However, concerns have been raised that the planned changes could alter the character of the park, potentially leading to higher fees and a reduction in public access. Some residents fear the transformation into an upscale golf course would diminish the public space's accessibility. Democrats on the committee, including Huffman, Maryland Reps. Jamie Raskin and Glenn Ivey, along with District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting park service director Jessica Bowron, demanding all documents, communications, and records related to the project. They emphasized that East Potomac Park belongs to the American people and has for more than a century. A lawsuit challenging Trump's plan argues that the redevelopment would violate the congressional act that created the park. Huffman described the project as a "methodical, deliberate effort to take a public park away from the people," with American taxpayers footing the bill. Spokespeople for the Interior Department and National Park Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Debris from the demolished East Wing of the White House was dumped at East Potomac, forming a three-story mound near one of its golf courses. The National Park Service stated that the debris tested positive for lead, chromium, and other toxic metals. Trump had previously announced that work on the course was meant to begin on Sept. 1.