IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 921 

Expressing support for the designation of 2018 as the ‘‘Year of the Anacostia’’ and recognizing the Washington metropolitan area’s efforts and 

partnerships to restore the Anacostia River watershed. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 5, 2018 

Ms. NORTON (for herself and Mr. BROWN of Maryland) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of 2018 as the ‘‘Year 

of the Anacostia’’ and recognizing the Washington metropolitan area’s efforts and partnerships to restore the 

Anacostia River watershed. 

Whereas the Anacostia River watershed stretches across 176 

square miles, and the Anacostia River runs through the 

heart of the eastern half of the District of Columbia and 

through substantial portions of the Washington metropolitan area; 

Whereas the Anacostia River is bordered by vital local and 

Federal parks in Wards 5–8, including Kingman and 

Heritage Islands, the National Arboretum, Kenilworth 


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Aquatic Gardens, Yards Park, Diamond Teague Park, 

Buzzard Point Park, and Anacostia Park, providing District of Columbia residents and visitors opportunities for 

recreation and connection to nature in the Nation’s capital; 

Whereas the Anacostia River watershed contains recreation 

resources, such as trails and parks, that are valued assets 

in the region, and are enjoyed by residents and visitors 

by boat, bike, and on foot; 

Whereas the Anacostia River watershed is home to nearly 

500 species of fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, 

and invertebrates; 

Whereas, on August 31, 1918, Congress passed legislation 

preserving 1,200 acres as riverside public parkland and 

creating Federal protection for Anacostia Park, and on 

August 31, 2018, the National Park Service will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the legislation; 

Whereas the Anacostia River watershed has numerous historic and cultural sites that are vital for the history of 

the United States and the Washington metropolitan area, 

including a War of 1812 battle site, the National Museum of the United States Navy, the Congressional Cemetery, and Cedar Hill, Frederick Douglass’ home; 

Whereas, in 2018, the Nation celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass, the ‘‘Lion of 

Anacostia’’; 

Whereas the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments established the Anacostia Watershed Restoration 

Partnership in 2006 for public, private, and community 

cooperation to implement the regional vision for AnaVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Jun 06, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR921.IH HR921

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costia River watershed restoration and waterfront development; 

Whereas the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is partnering with regional agencies, businesses, 

and community organizations to commemorate the 100th 

anniversary of Anacostia Park and the continued 

progress in restoring the Anacostia River watershed; 

Whereas, in 1987, the District of Columbia joined Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and the State of 

Maryland in a formal agreement to participate in the restoration of the Anacostia River watershed; 

Whereas the Council of the District of Columbia, the County 

Council of Prince George’s County, and the County 

Council of Montgomery County have enacted, or are currently reviewing, similar resolutions commemorating the 

Anacostia River watershed; 

Whereas the Anacostia River watershed and the Washington 

metropolitan area benefit from significant infrastructure 

and development investments by the public and private 

sectors, including the District of Columbia Water and 

Sewer Authority’s Clean Rivers Project and stadiums for 

the Washington Nationals and D.C. United; 

Whereas Congress passed the Southeast Federal Center Public-Private Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106– 

407) and a bill to promote the development of the Southwest waterfront (Public Law 112–143), which, together, 

are enabling millions of square feet of mixed-use development, including offices, apartments, condos, hotels, and 

retail, on the Southeast and Southwest waterfronts in the 

District of Columbia while assisting in the cleanup of 

surrounding waterways; 


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Whereas Congress passed the Federal and District of Columbia Government Real Property Act of 2006 (Public Law 

109–396), which provided for the transfer of real property between the Federal and the District of Columbia 

Governments to facilitate the redevelopment of such 

property, including land along the Anacostia River; 

Whereas Congress passed the Kingman and Heritage Islands 

Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–328), which expanded the 

allowable uses for Kingman and Heritage Islands by the 

District of Columbia to include recreational, environmental, or educational purposes in accordance with the 

Anacostia Waterfront Framework Plan and the Comprehensive Plan; 

Whereas Congress passed the Water Resources Development 

Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–114), which required the 

Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the Mayor of 

the District of Columbia, the Governor of Maryland, the 

county executives of Montgomery County and Prince 

George’s County, Maryland, and other interested entities, 

to develop a 10-year comprehensive action plan to provide 

for the restoration and protection of the ecological integrity of the Anacostia River and its tributaries; 

Whereas, in July 2018, the Washington Nationals will host 

the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and related 

events at Nationals Park on the banks of the Anacostia 

River; 

Whereas, in 2018, D.C. United will open a new soccer stadium a short distance from the Anacostia River; 

Whereas, in 2018, the District of Columbia Department of 

Energy and Environment will release its Feasibility 

Study Report for the Anacostia River Sediment Project, 


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which will evaluate potential actions for the remediation 

of toxic chemicals in and along the Anacostia River; 

Whereas the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority 

began operations of the Anacostia River Tunnel in 2018, 

which, along with the Blue Plains Tunnel at Poplar 

Point, is expected to reduce combined sewer overflows 

into the Anacostia River by over 80 percent and improve 

the water quality of the river; 

Whereas thanks in large part to policies adopted by the District of Columbia government and challenging work undertaken by many local private-sector partners, the water 

quality of the Anacostia River has improved markedly in 

recent years; and 

Whereas 2018 will be the 50th anniversary of the National 

Park Service’s ‘‘Summer in the Parks’’ program for the 

District of Columbia, including a popular concert series 

in Fort Dupont Park, and the first year of operations 

since the National Park Service’s selection of an Anacostia Park management plan in 2017: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of the ‘‘Year of the 

3 Anacostia’’; 

4 (2) urges the National Park Service to reason5 ably and appropriately commit to implementing a 

6 plan of action to make its holdings in the Anacostia 

7 River watershed into a signature urban park; 

8 (3) urges the Anacostia Watershed Restoration 

9 Partnership to continue efforts to enhance and reinVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Jun 06, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR921.IH HR921

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1 force Washington metropolitan areas cooperation to 

2 improve water quality; and 

3 (4) urges the Anacostia Watershed Restoration 

4 Partnership and the National Park Service to con5 tinue efforts to improve environmental justice via 

6 sustainable and programmatic development prac7 tices, including efforts to equitably enrich the civic 

8 and economic value of the communities surrounding 

9 the Anacostia River, and the resilience and physical 

10 well-being of residents in those communities. 

Æ 


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