The District of Columbia sued the federal government Friday over pollution in the Anacostia River that the city says comes from over a century of agencies using the waterway as a “dumping ground.”
The District’s lawsuit looks to use the 1980 Superfund law to compel the federal government to fund a planned cleanup effort in the Anacostia River. The suit alleges that the United States is responsible for a buildup of toxic waste and chemicals in the river, including heavy metals, pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which can cause cancer.
“The federal government has been the number one driver of pollution in the Anacostia River for over 150 years, treating the District’s iconic natural resource as a cost-free dumping ground for the toxic waste and chemicals it generated,” said Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
“The United States is not immune from complying with environmental laws, and today, we’re suing to hold it financially accountable for the damage it has knowingly and intentionally caused,” he added.
