Report: Company that renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool says issue is with primer, not vandalism – WTOP News

The company that renovated the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is now saying problems with its own work, not vandalism, caused the pool’s blue liner to peel and fail.
Documents obtained by The New York Times show workers for Atlantic Industrial Coatings did not apply enough primer in some areas.
The documents also show the company discovered two chemicals used in the liner system were incompatible.
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According to The New York Times, Atlantic Industrial Coatings acknowledged heat caused layers of the coating to blister and separate.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for the damage, despite federal prosecutors dropping vandalism cases and later describing the issue as a botched installation.
The federal government paid $14.7 million dollars for the project.
The pool remains drained while repairs continue. Atlantic Industrial Coatings said it will fix the work under warranty, The New York Times reported.
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