Un'ted States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Green Infrastructure Program
Community Partner Profiles
2011 Partners
REGION 3: Anacostia River Watershed
Community Background
The Anacostia River watershed is a largely urban watershed located
within the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed. Over 800,000 people
live in the 176 square mile Anacostia River watershed, which includes
Washington, DC; Montgomery County, MD; and Prince George's
County, MD. Despite its urban character, the watershed also
includes around 6,500 acres of wetlands and is home to many
species of birds and other wildlife.
EPA Contact
Ken Hendrickson
USEPA Region 3
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Ten towns, cities, and counties within the Anacostia River watershed have received small grants to
address environmental justice and water quality concerns. These communities include:
1. Town of University Park
2. Anacostia Port Towns
3. City of College Park
4. City of Hyattsville
5. Town of Capitol Heights
6. City of Mount Rainier
7. Town of Bladensburg
8. Montgomery County, MD
9. Prince Georges County, MD
10. Washington, DC
Drivers for Green Infrastructure
As the Anacostia River flows through the 10 partner communities; trash, sewage, and other pollutants
carried by stormwater accumulate in its waters, resulting in water quality that is unsafe for human
contact and harmful to fish and wildlife. Restoring the Anacostia has long been a goal of area residents
and local governments. Elected officials from Prince George's and Montgomery counties, the District
of Columbia, and Maryland signed interstate agreements to improve watershed health in 1987, 1997,
and 2000. In 2006, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments adopted a resolution
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Green Infrastructure Community Partner Profiles
2011 Partners
creating a newAnacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership. The parntership is responsible for
maintaining a restoration plan that quantifies restoration goals and states the restoration timeline. In
addition to these voluntary efforts, Total Maximum Daily Loads requiring reductions in trash, nutrients,
and sediment were established in 2010, 2008, and 2007, respectively.
Green infrastructure offers a way for partner communities to address these water quality concerns
while enhancing community livability. The Anacostia River watershed partner communities have a
relatively high concentration of lower income residents and unemployment. By investing in green
infrastructure, these communities can improve water quality in the Anacostia while increasing
community cohesion and building a 'greener' economy.
Green Strategies and Programs
EPA Region 3 is providing customized tools and support to its 10 community partners through its
'Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns' program (G3). The goal of the G3 program is to assist small
and mid-sized towns and cities in revitalizing local economies, creating green and sustainable jobs, and
maintaining a safe and healthy environment. The G3 program is advancing these goals by facilitating
information exchange among experienced and interested communities, and providing grants to
selected partner communities.
Outreach and Education
By conducting outreach and education, the G3 program aims to increase the understanding and
acceptance of Gl among municipal officials, developers, and the public. One of the first products that
the G3 program developed was the 'Green Streets, Green Jobs Academy'. The Academy is an online
resource that provides community leaders with easy access to the expertise of a range of green
infrastructure professionals. Future education and outreach efforts will address the financing of Gl
retrofits and the environmental performance of Gl practices.
Grants
In the summer of 2010, EPA made over $200,000 available to its Anacostia watershed partner
communities for implementation of green infrastructure practices. The partner communities and the
projects they are working on are listed on the following page.
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Green Infrastructure Community Partner Profiles
2011 Partners
Community
Monies
Awarded
What's Going On?
Town of University Park (Pri
Georges County)
Anacostia Port Towns (Prince
George's County)
City of College Park (Prince George's
Cou nty)
City of Hyattsville (Prince George's
Cou nty)
Town of Capitol Heights (Prince
George's County)
Full green street design plans that will reduce water flow into
the creek as well as reduce public safety hazards for the
community.
Green Surfaces-Green Jobs Initiative. Conducting a survey of
pollutant load issues and prioritizing project locations.
Urban infrastructure best management practices to improve
stormwater runoff. There are currently two new project
locations.
Green Street conceptual design. Future city investment of $2
million to incorporate green infrastructure.
Collaborating with the Low Impact Development Center to
create designs to incorporate green streets into existing
green infrastructure practices. The goal is to improve water
quality and create green jobs.
City of Mount Rainier (Prince
George's County)
Town of Bladensburg (Prince George's
Cou nty)
Montgomery County, Maryland
$35,000
$20,000
Funding will go towards the Buchanan green street project
with the full site design of bioretention for the project.
Collaborating with Forest Trends to analyze the benefits of
green job creation and different incentives for green
infrastructure.
The County is in the draft stages of writing a regulation to
mandate green street techniques.
Prince Georges County, Maryland
Improvement of stormwater management techniques to
reduce impervious cover of public roadways and reduce
safety hazards. Focus on retrofitting drainage of roadways.
Washington, DC
Great Streets program to link transportation and economic
development while improving the community and overall
quality of life. Over $150 million dollars will be invested to
achieve these goals.
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