by Leah Lemoine | Building and development practices are evolving.  Green building and low-impact development (LID) techniques such as rain gardens, cisterns, and permeable pavement are increasingly becoming codified and incentivized, bringing them closer to standard practice.   However, impediments to widespread application of LID remain.

First, the perception that these sustainable practices are more expensive than [...]

by Senator Benjamin L. Cardin | Cooperation is a term used far too rarely in governance today. Thanks to a newly enacted law that I authored, however, that term now perfectly describes the newly clarified collaborative relationship between federal, state, county, and local governments in cleaning up stormwater pollution that emanates from their respective properties.

Chesapeake [...]

by Shawn M. Garvin | The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new strategy to promote green infrastructure will provide assistance to our nation’s towns and cities in need of a reduction in stormwater runoff to protect their local streams, creeks, rivers and lakes.  Across the country, stormwater is one of the most prevalent and fastest-growing challenges to [...]

by Brian Van Wye | Development is often thought of as an enemy of healthy rivers and streams, especially when undeveloped, natural sites are replaced with rooftops, pavement, and other impervious surfaces from which rainwater washes off with erosive, pollutant-laden volume.  However, in a highly urbanized area like the District of Columbia, most of the land [...]

by Steve Saari | When the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (now DC Water) released its draft Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in 2001, concerns about the significant cost (in excess of $2 billion) to construct the tunnels and the reliance on a traditional, or grey, infrastructure approach [...]

by Paul Gallay | The Hudson River plays an essential role in sustaining our region’s prosperity and quality of life. Each year, millions of citizens spend time in or on the river boating, swimming, fishing or simply walking along its banks. Thanks to the hard work of individuals, environmental organizations and government agencies, water quality [...]

by Matt Robinson | When Jaws hit movie theatres almost 36 years ago, many people immediately reacted with the question: “Is it safe to go back into the water?” Reports surfaced of moviegoers “having nightmares” of being eaten alive by monster sharks. For many people, the fear and hysteria attributed to the film began to outweigh their [...]

by Diane M. Davis | The landscape and history of the District of Columbia is largely defined by the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.  The confluence of these navigable rivers occurs just two miles from the White House.  Unfortunately, today, as with many urban rivers, the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers are considered impaired due to various pollutants.  [...]

by George S. Hawkins | DC Water recently released a cartoon called “A Drop’s Life” that focuses on the Clean Rivers Project, a $2.6 billion effort to reduce combined sewer overflows in the District.  The new educational tool, which features a cameo by DC Water’s popular “Wendy the Waterdrop” mascot, tells the Clean Rivers Project’s story from [...]

by Jeff Seltzer | When the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) decided to undertake a systematic assessment of the types and sources of trash responsible for impairing the quality of the Anacostia River, an urban tributary to the Potomac River, it became evident that disposable bags played a significant role – comprising one of the [...]