Overview
- U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ruled Tuesday that narrowly defined paint tests may proceed, finding plaintiffs had not shown the minimal sampling would cause irreparable harm.
- The permitted work is tightly limited to roughly eight square feet of visible exterior and several non-public panels, and the judge ordered status reports and said she would step in if testing expanded beyond that scope.
- Preservation groups, architects and historians had sought an emergency order to stop any testing, arguing that painting granite can trap moisture and accelerate stone decay.
- The court left unresolved the central legal question over whether the General Services Administration improperly delegated authority for the project to the Executive Office of the President, a claim plaintiffs say could affect federal historic properties nationwide.
- The limited tests will build a factual record the judge can review and could shape whether the estimated $7.5 million repainting plan moves forward and how future changes to historic federal buildings are authorized.