Pepco is conducting the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) for the Benning Road Facility pursuant to the requirements of a consent decree with the District of Columbia (DC) that was approved by the U.S. District Court on December 1, 2011 (Consent Decree). The RI/FS is conducted consistent with the requirements of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The Study Area for the RI/FS consists of a “Landside Investigation Area ” focused on the Site itself, and a “Waterside Investigation Area” focused on the shoreline and sediments in the segment of the Anacostia River in close proximity to the Site. The Site is one of the multiple upland properties along the tidal Anacostia River currently identified by DOEE as potential environmental cleanup sites (PECSs) within the study area for the Anacostia River Sediment Project (ARSP).
During Feasibility Study phase, DOEE determined that the most expeditious approach for completing the Feasibility Study would be to divide the Site into two separate “Operable Units” for the purpose of evaluating, selecting, and implementing remedial actions. The landside area has been designated “Operable Unit 1 (OU1),” and the waterside area has been designated “Operable Unit 2 (OU2).” The decision to manage the Site through two separate operable units reflects the fact that the remedial actions being evaluated for the landside area are distinct from the remedial actions being evaluated for the waterside area and the remedial actions for each operable unit can be implemented independently. DOEE solicited comments from the public on the draft Feasibility Study for OU1 from December 4, 2023 through January 12, 2024. Based on the public comments, the Feasibility Study for OU1 was revised and was approved by DOEE in March 15, 2024. DOEE released the Landside (OU1) Proposed Plan for public review and comment on December 16, 2024. This Proposed Plan described the remedial alternatives considered for the Landside Investigation Area, identified the remedial method that DOEE proposed to use, and explained why that method was chosen.
The public comment period was extended to April 18, 2025. DOEE solicited comments from the public on the draft Focused Feasibility Study from August 9, 2024 through September 30, 2024. The Focused Feasibility Study for Waterside Investigation Area OU2 is intended to be an Early Action focusing on sediments in the cove of the Anacostia River north of the Benning Road Facility (referred to as “the Benning Cove”). Based on the public comments, the Final Focused Feasibility was revised and approved by DOEE on December 16, 2024.
On September 5, DOEE released Waterside (OU2) Proposed Plan for public review and comments for the Benning Cove. The comment period ends on October 7, 2025. This Proposed Plan describes the remedial alternatives considered for the Benning Cove, identify the remedial method that DOEE proposes to use, and explains why that method was chosen.
DOEE held a community meeting on September 13, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at DC Department of Employment Services Community Room #1 located at 4058 Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20019. During the community meeting, DOEE and Pepco provided a summary of the Waterside (OU2) Proposed Plan, including recommendations of proposed cleanup methods for the Benning Cove.