President Donald Trump is blaming Democratic leaders in the metropolitan area encompassing Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia for a massive sewage spill that contaminated the Potomac River, claiming they hold direct responsibility for cleaning up the environmental disaster.
Trump suggested a federal takeover of the response on Tuesday, after he deployed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate with local authorities.
The saga has left many wondering who is actually responsible for the environmental cleanup of one of the largest wastewater spills in U.S. history. The answer is a mix of both federal and state authorities.
The White House maintains that Maryland has regulatory enforcement authority over the Potomac and that it enforces regulations requiring sewage system operators to respond immediately to a wastewater spill. The state government led by Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) failed in this respect, a White House official told the Washington Examiner.
The incident began last month when a pipe in the Potomac Interceptor sewage system collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland. As a result of the break, an estimated 200 to 300 million gallons of raw sewage were dumped into the Potomac.
The White House official said Maryland did not promptly notify federal authorities of the sewage spill. Because the ruptured section of the pipe runs over federal property stretching from Dulles International Airport to the nation’s capital, the White House says it should have been made aware of the incident right away.
Firing back at the president, Moore’s office insists that the federal government is directly responsible for addressing the spill.
“The President has his facts wrong — again. Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak,” Moore spokesman Ammar Moussa told the Washington Examiner. “Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here.”
There is some truth in Moussa’s statement, as the sewage system is subject to federal environmental regulation and oversight. However, Moore’s office did not specify when it notified the White House about the problem.
“Maryland officials were on site within hours of the leak to do our part to coordinate the response, and ensure the public was aware and protected. If the federal government is just now showing up to take action, we will work collaboratively—as we always do—to be responsive,” Moussa said. “The Potomac isn’t a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment.”
Residents are being warned not to come into contact with the river, but environmental activists are upset with how Maryland’s government handled the spill.
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network says the state should “come up with a real, meaningful spill prevention plan” to prevent a similar disaster from happening in the future, according to DC News Now.
DC Water, which operates the Potomac Interceptor, says it is coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency to contain and mitigate any additional sewage overflows that may occur. The utility company is also working on emergency repairs over the next four to six weeks.
The Potomac Interceptor sewer line, which is more than 60 years old, needs extensive repairs to comply with federal water pollution standards under the Clean Water Act. The White House accuses Maryland’s government of being insufficiently concerned about infrastructure upgrades.
TRUMP AND MOORE PLAY BLAME GAME OVER MASSIVE POTOMAC WASTE SPILL
On Truth Social, Trump urged Moore, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to call him for help if “they can’t do the job.” He called for immediate action from the three leaders while labeling the wastewater spill a “Radical Left caused Environmental Hazard.”
“With all of their talk about carbon footprints and everything else, they’re allowing hundreds of tons of sewage to pour into the Mighty Potomac, making it much less mighty,” Trump wrote in the post. “ACT FAST. I am awaiting your call.”
