In April, when Mayor Bowser and the Josh Harris ownership group announced they had reached an agreement to bring the Washington Commanders back to the District, Anacostia Riverkeeper (ARK) President Suzy Kelly quickly praised the announcement as a potential “win-win for the city and the river.” After several subsequent meetings both on and off the water with officials from the DC government and the Commanders organization, we are pleased to reaffirm ARK’s continued support for the RFK stadium project. We are convinced that the billions of dollars in new investment at the site will serve the city generally and the Anacostia River specifically by injecting much needed resources to continue to restore and protect the river’s health and help preserve the waterway for future generations.

ARK believes that bringing the Commanders back to the District at the RFK site will help foster a renewed sense of community as a rallying point for DC residents across all wards. We further believe that the housing, retail and recreational facilities planned for the area around the stadium will foster economic growth on both sides of the Anacostia and create an even more vibrant neighborhood. The project will in turn bring renewed interest in the waterfront and raise awareness of the importance of protecting the river environment while the stadium is under construction and in the years following.

By removing the existing deteriorating structure and ensuring that the new stadium campus is revitalized, we believe the investment will improve access to the Anacostia riverfront and will increase the number of people with a vested interest in protecting this important waterway. Experience has shown that stadium projects and environmental protection can certainly go hand in hand. With proper management and commitment to sustainable principles, the new RFK stadium complex can be equally environmentally friendly and can serve the needs of the community while at the same time protecting the waterfront that makes the site so desirable in the first place.

ARK looks forward to continuing to work with both the DC Government and Commanders to ensure that these dual objectives are met in the upcoming design and construction phases of the project. We continue to support this project, if the following are included in the agreement as we work together towards a clean, swimmable, and fishable Anacostia River for all:

1. The site is large enough and complicated enough that it warrants a full environmental impact statement.
2. All DC laws and regulations that protect stormwater runoff and retention and toxic soil removal be strictly followed.
3. Install and maintain gold-standard stormwater, sediment, and litter management during all redevelopment activities.
4. Create bioretention and other green infrastructure that comply with all District laws to manage stormwater from the completed campus, future-sized for the rain intensity expected at the end of the assumed life of the stadium.
5. Restore wetlands in Kingman Lake and in the upland areas that are expected to be wetlands by the end of the assumed life of the stadium due to sea level rise, currently conservatively predicted to be 3.4 feet by 2080.
6. Manage litter in and around the stadium including efforts to:
   • Focus on reusable containers, avoiding single use plastics, and building recycling infrastructure in the stadium and across the campus.
   • Trash traps to collect what litter is generated and escapes the stadium and local businesses – we recommend Bandalong Litter Traps or Bandit Traps in the open-air stormwater conveyances before they enter Kingman Lake.
7. Ensure the campus includes equitable recreational access for all along the river, including trails, docks, and small craft launches.

The new stadium project represents a once in a lifetime opportunity for the city and the Anacostia River which ARK supports. We look forward to continuing a strong partnership with the DC government and the Commanders to ensure that this investment protects this incredible waterfront site for the sake of the river, the people who enjoy it, and those who live nearby.

We thank you for the opportunity to share our insights on this critical issue, and look forward to continuing to collaborate towards a clean Anacostia River as this project proceeds.