Norton Bill to Free Kingman Island for Anacostia River Ecosystem Preservation Sent to Floor(9/10/09)

Norton Bill to Free Kingman Island for Anacostia River Ecosystem Preservation Sent to Floor Today

September 10, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's bill to amend the National Children's Island Act of 1995 passed out of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight today and will now head to the House floor. The bill will make Kingman and Heritage Islands a center for environmental education and recreation, and will provide for restoration of the Anacostia River ecosystem. The renovated islands will include a particularly appropriate memorial tree grove dedicated to the three District of Columbia school children who were victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Kingman and Heritage Islands were created by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1920's as part of the Anacostia Tidal Flats Reclamation project and were managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and National Park Service through 1996. At the request of District officials, Congress originally dedicated the two islands to be developed as a child-oriented theme park. This Act transferred title of certain NPS property in Anacostia Park, including Heritage Island and a portion of Kingman Island, to the District of Columbia. However, the law included a reversionary provision if a theme park was not built, necessitating this bill.