Norton Gets Identification of Anacostia River Substance Discovered by Residents

September 15, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) yesterday met in her office with officials of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the two federal agencies responsible for investigation of the substance found in the Anacostia River last month, which was once thought to be oil. The agencies have identified the substance as a rare algal bloom, known as Gymnodinium. Norton was pleased to learn that the alga bloom, although rare in fresh water, appears to be harmless to fish, birds and plants and is dissipating rapidly. The life expectancy for the alga bloom is approximately one month, with only about five percent of the substance remaining.

Norton, a member of the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and the lead sponsor of the Anacostia Watershed Initiative, the first comprehensive cleanup plan for the Anacostia River said, "We had quite a scare for a moment. We did not want to be set back just as we are starting the first comprehensive cleanup of the Anacostia River. It was very important to get the substance identified by scientific experts and to positively confirm that it is harmless."

Officials informed Norton that they worked closely with the U.S. Park Police, D.C. Fire Department, the D.C. Department of the Environment and the Maryland Department of the Environment to observe and identify the substance, having taken countless samples, that were ultimately examined laboratories. Norton said, "I am pleased that local and federal agencies worked so quickly and so well together to ensure the safety of the Anacostia River."

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