National Park Service Proposes 'Sky Rights' Legislation, Claiming the Washington Monument Owes 'Compensation' When the Moon Passes Behind It
The National Park Service has taken an unprecedented step in what it calls “celestial jurisprudence.” Following months of internal deliberation, the agency has proposed new legislation that would legally recognize the Washington Monument’s claim to its immediate atmospheric domain.
According to the proposed rules, any celestial body that appears to pass behind the monument’s shadow would constitute a “visual obscuration event” requiring an official filing. The NPS claims the monument’s historical significance extends to the sky itself, creating a unique form of “atmospheric sovereignty” that would apply to the 25,000 square feet of airspace above the obelisk.