WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the federal government will step in to "protect" the Potomac River following the collapse of a major sewer pipe, accusing Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat with whom he's been sparring, of gross mismanagement.
On Jan. 19, a sewer line in Montgomery County, Maryland, collapsed, causing an overflow of more than 200 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River in the Washington, DC, region. Trump, who has attempted to assert federal control over cities and states governed by Democrats, said in a Feb. 16 post on social media: "I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation's Capital City."
The University of Maryland, which called the incident one of the "largest sewage spills in U.S. history," said researchers detected high levels of fecal-related bacteria and disease-causing pathogens in the river, raising urgent public health concerns and underscoring the risks posed by aging sewer infrastructure.
"The Federal Government has no choice but to step in," Trump said in his post, adding that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has seen significant staff cuts since Trump took office, will coordinate the response.
