District and EPA Agree on Aggressive Clean Water Strategy to Reduce Pollution in Chesapeake Bay and Local Rivers

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced a landmark agreement between the District of Columbia and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement what could be the most aggressive green strategies nationally, to reduce storm water runoff, a major contributor to pollution in the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. The District Department of Environment (DDOE) and EPA have been in mediation since May of 2007 to incorporate enhanced and green storm water management practices beyond the basic requirements of the District's Storm Water Management Permit (MS4).

Some of the MS4 Enhancements include:

• Planting and maintaining at least 13,500 additional trees
• Devising a low impact development plan which will include converting paved areas such as median strips and large sidewalks into green space
• Installing 50 rain gardens and 125 rain barrels
• Researching the possibility of a tax-incentive program for the installation of green roofs
• Requiring all new District-owned buildings and, where feasible, all major renovations of District-owned buildings to include green roofs
• Implementing enhanced street sweeping and trash removal programs

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