History of Advocacy

The advocacy program at AWS is responsible for campaigns, media correspondence, and other conferences to influence or change political policies and resource allocation on matters affecting the Anacostia River. Since the founding of the Anacostia Watershed Society in 1989, there have been many victories due to political advocacy.

Here are major AWS advocacy victories since 1989:

1989 Anacostia Watershed Society is founded
After two years of scoping studies, Anacostia Watershed Society is officially incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
 

1988-1990 National Arboretum Clean Up
Robert Boone successfully advocates for the restoration of the Arboretum’s river front property. Previously, the National Zoo used the site for disposing of animal waste. The restoration resulted in a major cleanup and it is now the site of the Asia Garden and nature trail at the National Arboretum. The small valley links to a riverfront dock used by AWS and recreational boaters. 

1989-2011 Hickey Run Restoration
AWS alerted federal and local officials of hydrocarbons and antifreeze that had been draining from three large underground storage tanks into the Anacostia tributary at the National Arboretum for 16 years. The investigation led to an award-winning retrofit of the Metro Bus maintenance facility on Bladensburg Road, NE. The Hickey Run stream restoration is ongoing, with District Department of the Environment (DDOE) and Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) currently engaged in several projects.

1992-1997 Kingman Island Preservation
Formerly known as Children’s Island, AWS advocated against development of a commercial theme park on the island, in favor of preserving the island as green space for an environmental education center to serve the community.

1992-1993 Jack Kent Cooke
Proposed as a new stadium site, AWS and the Kingman Park Civic Association advocated renovation of the existing RFK stadium to prevent development on Kingman Island.

1996 Barney Circle Freeway
AWS blocked a proposal to build an expensive highway connection over the river to divert traffic over the inner city, saving Southeast DC from air and noise pollution, the river from further toxic and thermal pollutants, and the city from spending millions of dollars on unnecessary infrastructure.

1997-1999 Mystery Mountain
AWS alerted the public of illegal dumping of unregulated fill at Kenilworth Park by the Anacostia riverbank. Officials believe 400,000 cubic yards of construction debris and garbage was dumped in the park.

1995 Anacostia Community Boathouse
AWS was a founding member of the Anacostia Community Boathouse Association (ACBA), starting a new era of rowing on the Anacostia in an old industrial building under the 11th Street Bridge. Due to construction on the 11th Street Bridge, the thriving Anacostia Community Boathouse moved upstream temporarily. Now with nine member organizations, ACBA gives hundreds of rowers access to enjoy the Anacostia every day.

1996 Navy Yard Lawsuit
An AWS lawsuit against the U.S. Navy in 1996 for PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyls) resulted in an $18 million river cleanup.

1999 CSO Lawsuit
The outcome of an AWS legal win against WASA in 1999 to eliminate overflows in DC waterways reduced sewer overflows by 40% in 2008, and 98% indefinitely.

1998-2002 Bladensburg Waterfront Park
AWS worked with Bladensburg city and M-NCPPC officials as well as other area organizations to transform the Historic Port of Bladensburg into a paddlesport and rowing center. The park now benefits several schools, provides an environmental and paddling destination center for University of Maryland and the community, and acts as an economic boost for the Port Towns and the County.

2002 Current Wild Rice Restoration at Kingman Lake
AWS is reintroducing the native ecological keystone plants in several Anacostia tidal marshes in partnership with the Corps of Engineers with the emergent plant restoration program, which continues today. 

2004 CSO 006 Historic Anacostia
AWS is currently negotiating with WASA to use LID (low-impact development) technologies in a newly separated sewer in Historic Anacostia.

2005-2007 New Stadium
AWS advocated for legislative stipulations that the new sports stadium be designed according to LEED standards to minimize its environmental impact over the long term.

2006-2010  Montgomery County MS4 Permit
Over a period of several years, AWS worked with the Montgomery County Stormwater Partners to get a strong new federal Clean Water Act permit issued to Montgomery County. This permit is the first of a "new generation" of MS4 permits in Maryland and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has made a commitment that it will serve as the "floor" for all future permits. Key requirements include stormwater management retrofits for 20% of the county’s existing impervious surface.
 
2007 Maryland Stormwater Act
AWS worked in coalition with other environmental groups to pass a landmark stormwater management law.
 
2009 DC Bag Bill Passes
After an AWS study of trash in the river revealed the high prevalence of plastic bags in the river, DC Councilmember Tommy Wells crafted legislation to place a 5-cent fee on plastic bags with the goal of driving down their use in the District. Any proceeds from the bill are directed toward Anacostia River restoration efforts. The bill has been a huge success, with the first year of implementation seeing a 60% reduction in plastic bag use in DC while generating almost $2 million for river cleanup efforts.
 
2010 Montgomery County Stormwater Regulations
In July 2010 Montgomery County adopted strong new stormwater management regulations. Advocacy by AWS and its partners created an environment to allow Montgomery County DEP to take a strong stance on the regulations and prevent last minute rollbacks sought by the building industry. The regulations require management of the Channel Protection Volume (CPV), or 2.6" of stormwater runoff, on both new development and redevelopment projects.
 
2011 Invasive Plants Management Bill
In 2011 the Maryland General Assembly unanimously passed an invasive plant management bill that AWS had worked on for several years.  This bill provides a risk assessment methodology and assigns a committee to evaluate plants sold in the nursery trade. Tier 1 plants would be banned for sale in Maryland, and Tier 2 plants could only be sold with substantial warning signage.
 
2011 Prince George's County Stormwater Regulations
In July 2011 more than two years of campaigning came to fruition when Prince George's County adopted the second strongest local stormwater ordinance in Maryland (after Montgomery County, see above). The stormwater management standard will automatically increase over time, eventually reaching 1 inch, and incentives for developers will only kick in if developers exceed the standards in effect at the time.

2011 DC MS4 Permit Issued
Several years of work by AWS and its partners culminated in October 2011 with the release of DC's Clean Water Act MS4 permit (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System). These permits govern the separated storm sewer system that delivers polluted stormwater runoff directly to the Anacostia River. This is a model permit for the Chesapeake Bay region, featuring a 1.2" stormwater performance standard and many positive numerical requirements to implement green infrastructure measures such as green roofs and street trees.

2012 Montgomery County Bag Bill Takes Effect
Effective January 1, 2012, Montgomery County has followed DC's lead and implemented a 5-cent fee on disposable plastic and paper bags, with revenues directed to the county's Water Quality Improvement Fund. This program expands on DC's effort, covering nearly all retailers.