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EPA funding supports Anacostia, Potomac watersheds

Release Date: 03/15/2006
Contact Information: Roy Seneca (215) 814-5567

(03/15/06) PHILADELPHIA - The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a $1.1 million grant to Prince George’s County, Md. to help clean up the Anacostia and Potomac watersheds.

The county is using this funding for low impact development projects to control storm water runoff and to support trash management projects like this week’s Potomac Watershed Trash Summit in Washington, D.C. The Anacostia Watershed is part of the Potomac Watershed.

“Along with benefitting water quality in the Anacostia watershed, this funding supports the goal of a trash-free Potomac watershed,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.

EPA is a co-sponsor of the summit which will be held tomorrow, March 16, at the World Bank Preston Auditorium, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, D.C. For more information visit www.trashfreePotomac.org .

A portion of the grant will be used for identifying sources of trash, trash reduction, public clean-up days, recycling efforts, developing partnership-building workshops, researching pollution prevention and developing public outreach programs.

Low impact projects developed with this funding will serve as a model for other municipalities. Low impact development practices are low maintenance landscaping techniques that control storm water runoff.

“Prince George’s County’s projects will demonstrate how simple techniques can improve the water quality of storm water runoff while improving the community’s quality of life,” said Welsh.

The Anacostia River watershed covers about 176 square miles including northern Prince George’s County and eastern Montgomery County in Maryland and most of Washington, D.C. Work will take about one year to complete. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, visit: https://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/stormwater .
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