The Potomac Spill and the Politics of Permission

The spill is more than an environmental incident. It is a mirror held up to the nation’s political class, and the reflection is not flattering

Douglas V. Gibbs ——Bio and Archives--February 19, 2026

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The sewage spill in the Potomac River should have been a straightforward matter of both state and federal authority. While the states of Virginia and Maryland border the river where the spill occurred north of Washington D.C., navigable waterways fall squarely under federal jurisdiction.

The selective outrage over federal involvement in state

The executive branch may, based on that fact, take responsibility and respond quickly when an environmental emergency threatens public health and interstate resources. Under normal circumstances, the states should seek to clean up the situation first, but if needed the federal government may step in, coordinate with state agencies, and get the job done.

President Trump’s response to the spill has triggered a political firestorm, not because of what he is doing, but because of how he is choosing to do it. After criticism from........

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