November 04, 1999
Mayor Williams Introduces Brownfields Legislation
(Washington, D.C.) Mayor Anthony A. Williams joined with members of the City Council, District Cabinet and representatives from the federal government to announce his Brownfields Revitalization Initiative.
The Mayor's legislation, the Brownfields Revitalization Initiative, is a comprehensive effort combining environmental protection with economic development that will result in improved quality of life in our neighborhoods, more jobs and an increased tax base for our city. Key elements of the initiative include a voluntary cleanup program, a financial incentive initiative, health-based cleanup standards, a streamlined cleanup process, and enforcement authority in the public interest.
"My Brownfields legislation will bring new business investment and jobs into areas of the city that need it most," said the Mayor. "It will help clean up contamination, improve the environment and ensure the participation of all community members in the overall revitalization effort. I am particularly pleased that this legislation was drafted with the help of the environmental community and reviewed and endorsed by a number of stakeholders."
The Mayor made the announcement at the old PEPCO pumping station on Half and V Streets, Southwest. This former pumping station is one of several sites that has fallen into disrepair, has no current value and is a blight on the landscape. The pumping station eventually will become a Community Learning Center and Fisheries Research Station for the City's Environmental Health Administration. The pumping station is the first brownfields site designated in the District.
