One of the largest construction firms in the region will pay D.C. almost $1 million in penalties and investments in a settlement over pollution to D.C. waterways.
The D.C. Attorney General’s Office sued Fort Myer Construction alleging the company allowed toxins, including petroleum, to run off into local waterways like the Anacostia River.
In 2024, Fort Myer issued a statement against the lawsuit stating, “No construction company in the District has built more green infrastructure projects … We do not agree with the allegations in this lawsuit and look forward to defending our record in court.”
But almost two years later, a settlement was reached.
David Hoffman, the D.C. senior assistant attorney general, said the settlement marks a major victory for the health of the Anacostia River.
“They’re going to pay us $450,000 worth of penalties, but they’re going to make over a half a million dollars in investments, you know, to clean up the property,” said Hoffman.
The facility in question is one of Fort Myer Construction’s main facilities. It’s located in northeast D.C., not far from the Anacostia River.
According to Hoffman, the toxic runoff from the heavy equipment at the site leaked into the Anacostia River for more than a decade despite warnings from the D.C. Department of Environment.
The attorney general’s office alleges the runoff flows into nearby storm drains and then makes its way into nearby streams flowing through the National Arboretum and inevitably emptying into the Anacostia.
News4 asked Fort Myer Construction for comment on the settlement but did not receive one.
The settlement marks a step toward one of the goals of the D.C. attorney general — maintaining water quality in D.C.
“It was the only industrial pollutant that DOE was able to identify as the leading culprit for pollutants that were going into that particular area. So, by eliminating that, it’s a fairly substantial success,” said Hoffman.
