Pepco to Pay $47M Toward Cleaning Up Anacostia River and $10M in Penalties

Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) will pay more than $57 million to resolve allegations that it discharged toxic chemicals into the District of Columbia’s land and waterways for decades, resulting in the persistent toxic pollution of the Anacostia River, the District’s Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pepco must pay $47 million toward cleaning up the Anacostia River and $10 million in penalties. According to the consent decrees, the company also must clean up contamination at its Buzzard Point and Benning Road facilities and investigate the current and historical environmental impacts of the company’s underground, DC-wide system of transformer vaults. Additionally, Pepco will pay for the District to oversee this work.

To date, the District has spent close to $35 million to investigate the extent of the damage to the Anacostia River and develop a cleanup proposal, which is scheduled for implementation in 2025.

All settlements agreements are open for a public comment period before they are finalized.

Schwalb said that District residents have been deprived of fully enjoying the Anacostia River due to “chronic, illegal, and intentional pollution.” He added that Pepco is not solely responsible for the pollution of the river, and it “deserves credit for being the first responsible party to accept formal responsibility for its illegal practices.”

Photo: Anacostia Riverwalk trail in DC.