Overview
- On Sept. 11, reporting based on government documents showed Atlantic Industrial Coatings told the administration that design flaws and installation errors caused the blue liner to blister and peel.
- Atlantic identified specific technical failures including insufficient primer in some areas and the use of two chemically incompatible compounds whose heat reaction blistered the lower layer.
- The contractor also cited workmanship issues, noting repeated recoat attempts and possible trapped moisture from a worker's sweat that may have worsened blistering.
- Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the vandalism cases after concluding the damage stemmed from a botched installation, and the administration has continued to at times publicly attribute some damage to vandalism.
- The government paid about $14.7 million for the rushed, no‑bid project and Atlantic says it will redo repairs under warranty, a development that has prompted calls for congressional, inspector general, and contracting oversight.