Toxic Sites Along the Anacostia

Toxic sites along the Anacostia River have threatened public and environmental health for decades, yet the government agencies responsible for their decontamination continue to haggle over details and jurisdictional boundaries. On Tuesday, September 7, Anacostia Riverkeeper, Anacostia Watershed Society, Anacostia Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee, DC Environmental Network, Groundwork Anacostia River and the Sierra Club Environmental Justice Program will call on DC council members and candidates for DC government to take action.

Council Chair Vincent Gray, Councilmember Tommy Wells, Councilmember Harry Thomas, and representatives from the offices of Councilmembers Yvette Alexander and Michael A. Brown have committed to attending, and many other council members and candidates have been invited. The press conference will take place on the Anacostia River near 12th and Water Sts. SE at one of the toxic sites.

There are six known toxic hot spots on and in the river: the Washington Navy Yard, Southeast Federal Center, Poplar Point, Kenilworth Landfill, Washington Gas Light and PEPCO Benning Road. These sites are contaminated by a range of toxics, including PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and heavy metals – toxics that endanger the health of the river and the communities that live, work, and play near it.

I can’t help but wonder – in its failure to clean up these sites along the Nation’s forgotten river, has the government forgotten as well its responsibility to the communities that live along it?

Read the press release here, and for more information about the issue of toxics in the Anacostia Watershed, go to our Challenges – Toxics page.  Stay tuned to Anacostia Riverkeeper as it works to clean up these sites and hold our government officials accountable.