Contacts:

• Pamela Mooring (DC Water)
  pamela.mooring@dcwater.com
  202-787-2089 
   
• Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles (NPS)
  jenny_anzelmo-sarles@nps.gov
  202-619-7177

Comment Period Extended for Potomac River Tunnel Environmental Assessment
Deadline for comments extended to December 4

WASHINGTON – Based on community feedback, DC Water and the National Park Service (NPS) are extending the deadline for comments on the Potomac River Tunnel Environmental Assessment (EA) to December 4, 2018.

DC Water is proposing to construct the Potomac River Tunnel in the District primarily on NPS land within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Rock Creek Park and National Mall and Memorial Parks. The EA is a required milestone before DC Water can finalize plans for how and where it will construct the associated infrastructure.

The project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel, diversion facilities, drop shafts and support structures to capture flows from existing combined sewer overflows along the Potomac River and transport them to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plan for treatment. The EA evaluates impacts based on a range of options for each facility proposed for construction, with a preferred option presented for each structure.

Attend an Open House
DC Water and the NPS invite the public to an open house public meeting to learn more about the project, the EA and to ask questions of project staff.

When: Wednesday, November 14, 2018, from 6 – 8 p.m.

Where: West End Library 2301 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20037

For more information or for individuals requiring special assistance at the open house, please contact DC Clean Rivers Project Public Outreach at (202) 787-4717, or by email at dccleanrivers@dcwater.com.

How to Comment
The preferred manner for providing comments is via an online form on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website, used by the agency to manage official correspondence and analyze public comment in the planning process. From the project website.

Comments may also be submitted in writing to:

ATTN: Potomac River Tunnel EA
DC Clean Rivers Project
Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
5000 Overlook Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20032

Comments must be provided electronically or postmarked by December 4, 2018, to receive consideration. Please be aware that the entire comment submitted – including personal identifying information such as address, phone number, and email address – may be made publicly available. Requests to withhold such personal identifying information from public release will be considered, but there is no guarantee that they will be withheld.

How to Obtain the EA
The EA can be downloaded from the NPS project webpage. Hard copies of the EA can also be found at the following District libraries:

Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Place SW
West End Library, 2301 L Street NW
Georgetown Library, 3260 R Street NW
Palisades Library, 4901 V Street NW

The DC Clean Rivers Project is DC Water’s ongoing program to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the District's waterways - the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek. The project is a massive infrastructure and support program designed to capture and clean water during heavy rainfalls before it ever reaches our rivers. Ultimately, it will improve water quality within the Chesapeake Bay watershed by lessening the volume of CSOs that enter the waterways. CSOs impair water quality by increasing water bacteria levels, contributing to low dissolved oxygen in water, increasing the potential for fish stress or fish kills and impacts to other aquatic life, and increasing the amount of trash in waterways. The proposed controls are estimated to reduce CSOs to the Potomac River by 93 percent by volume and limit their frequency from approximately 74 events to 4 events in a year of average rainfall.

Learn more at dcwater.com/cleanrivers.