The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) has just published the 90% Design Report of the Anacostia River Sediment Project (ARSP). The ARSP was launched in 2013 and promises the extraction of toxins from the sediments clogging the river as well as the identification of the sources of those toxins. The first phases of the project worked to identify the levels of contamination throughout the watershed, educate members of the public on the danger posed by those contaminants, and develop a plan to address the contaminated sediment.
Early phases of the ARSP found that five particular contaminants of concern (COCs) – total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin-like PCBs, dioxin toxic equivalent (TEQ), benzo(a)pyrene equivalent (BaPE), and chlordane – are present in the sediment comprising the riverbed at such high levels as to demand rapid remediation. The challenge posed by these COCs is that, rather than dissolving in the river’s water, they instead attach themselves to particles and accrue at deposit sites.
Broadly speaking, the Anacostia River has been affected by decades of industrial and agricultural practices that have polluted the watershed. This is in addition to urban runoff from neighborhoods adjacent to the river. While the depth of contamination implies that it has been occurring for decades, the ARSP has confirmed further sources as recent or ongoing contributors to the problem.
The Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) is one of the principal polluters most responsible for the state of the Anacostia. For instance, Pepco’s Benning Road Facility is responsible for at least six releases of PCBs into the watershed since 1985. At its Buzzard Point facility, Pepco maintained operations that regularly polluted the waterway through 2013.
Per a 2023 settlement with the city, Pepco has agreed to pay out nearly $60 million in order to clean up the river. Attorney General Brian Schwalb cited the danger Pepco inflicted on the public, claiming, “District residents have been deprived of fully enjoying one of our greatest environmental resources – the Anacostia River – due to chronic, illegal, and intentional pollution.”
While Pepco represents a particular, high-level offense, they are certainly not the only contributor. The ARSP has also named WMATA, Pepsi-Cola, Washington Navy Yard, and Joseph Smith & Sons as responsible parties. Additionally, new data and continuing studies are refining how we understand the contamination process. For instance, PCBs seem to move freely between the Potomac and the Anacostia Rivers.
The toxins in the sediment throughout the Anacostia threaten the health of both the wildlife and communities that interact with the river, which is why there is a fish consumption advisory in place on the Anacostia. So long as the toxins remain in the ecosystem, they will continue to accrue in the bodies of fish through a process known as biomagnification, posing a risk to people that consume fish from the river.
Fish consumption guidance can be found on the District Department of Energy and Environment website and gives protocols for how much fish is safe to eat based on things like your age and gender and the species of fish. While Maryland released an updated fish consumption advisory in 2023, including “avoid” notices for some species (including catfish and carp) but suggested limits for others, DC has yet to release an updated advisory since 2016.
The initial risk assessment that launched the ARSP in 2013 concluded in 2016. The component pieces of the project that were established during the risk assessment – the remedial investigation, the feasibility study, the proposed plan, and record of decision – were originally scheduled to be completed in 2018. However, delays and setbacks have affected each phase of the project, resulting in a revised timeline and the DOEE’s release of a proposed plan in 2019.
The plan outlines 11 Early Action Areas (EAAs) through the Anacostia River Main Stem, and Kingman Lake with particularly high concentration levels of PCBs. Taken together, these EAAs represent more than 70 square acres. Each site is an opportunity for the city to make significant headway in removing dangerous contaminants from the Anacostia watershed and improving conditions for both human and non-human residents of the area.
The city plans to target these EAAs through a combination of actions, including monitoring the natural recovery of certain sites, dredging the contaminated sediment and storing or reusing the material, or capping the contaminated sediment in places where it will not further impair the depth of the river.
As mentioned above, DOEE published the 90-Percent Design Report in early December and it is out for public comment until Feb 3. This is the final chance for the public to give feedback before the plan is finalized.
Join us in making your voice heard! You can take action in a few ways:
