HERNDON, Va. — The Potomac River Keeper Network is accusing President Donald Trump and his Trump National golf course of creating an environmental disaster by clear cutting a grove of mature trees on the banks of the Potomac to improve the view from a riverside putting green.
The trees were then dumped into the river, according to Steve McKone, a kayaker, river guide and summer camp educator who first blew the whistle on the cutting.
"The worst part about it is all the trees that have been thrown in the river to clog up the waterways," McKone said.
The trees could create hazards know as "strainers" in a popular kayaking site downstream that threaten to trap and drown student paddlers, McKone warns.
McKone is the one of the directors of the popular Calleva camp on the Potomac.
Viewing the scene from a boat in the river, it appears at least 15 trees have been clear cut on about a two acre area. Water laps at fresh stumps on the bank.
Representatives of the Trump National golf course did not respond to WUSA9s request for information.
Loudoun County authorities say they are looking into the matter but have drawn no conclusions about whether or not any environmental protection regulations have been violated.
Trump National caused a previous uproar in 2009 when at least 400 trees were cut on the edge of the river.
In 2004, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder was bitterly criticized for removing 130 trees from federally protected property on the Maryland side of the river.