Norton's Bill to Add Two Islands to Urban D.C. On Way to President

Norton's Bill to Add Two Islands to Urban D.C. On Way to President

December 14, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) Kingman and Heritage Islands Act passed the Senate late yesterday by unanimous consent. The bill guarantees District ownership of the islands, located near RFK Stadium on the Anacostia River, and that they will become a center for environmental education and recreation. The bill helps to fulfill a major goal of Norton's to promote renewal of the Anacostia River, which surrounds the islands. The President is expected to sign the bill soon.

"The two islands make it impossible for visitors to avoid appreciation of a river in the middle of a big city," Norton said. "The islands will engage residents and tourists alike in fun and educational activities that enhance their lives and encourage preservation of precious natural resources."

Norton sponsored the Anacostia Watershed Initiative Act, which Congress passed in 2007. As mandated by the Act, a 10-year plan for revitalization of the river was drawn by the Army Corps of Engineers and rolled out in a ceremony in April with the regional delegation.