Holding Polluters Accountable

Every District resident deserves clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, affordable and efficient utilities and a healthy environment to live in. Over the last two years and with support from the DC Council, OAG has deployed resources to protect the District’s environment and the health of its residents.

Here are some of OAG’s recent legal actions and significant wins to protect the District’s environment and precious natural resources.

• Greyhound forced to adopt national anti-idling policy for air pollution at Union Station: In a settlement with OAG, Greyhound will adopt national anti-idling policies and is required to pay $125,000 for allowing buses to idle at Union Station for longer than the District’s legal limit. The company must also provide anti-idling training to its drivers and hire a full-time supervisor to monitor compliance at Union Station.
• GenOn required to pay $2.5 million over pollution of Potomac River claims: OAG secured a settlement requiring GenOn, a major U.S. fossil-fuel energy company, to pay $2.5 million to the District to resolve allegations that one of its powerplants illegally discharged oil and other pollutants directly into the Potomac River. The settlement also includes $50,000 each to the DOEE Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project and Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership.
• Monsanto sued over cancer-causing chemical pollution: OAG recently sued Monsanto, an agrochemical company, for selling toxic cancer-causing chemicals that that it knew would pollute waterways, including the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, kill wildlife, and endanger the health of District residents.
• District warns EPA about potential suit to protect Chesapeake Bay: Along with Maryland and Virginia, OAG announced it intends to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its failure to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Right now, the EPA is walking away from its responsibility under the Clean Water Act to make sure states work together to meet pollution reduction goals we have been working toward for decades.
• Superior Court grants summary judgment against oil dischargers.  OAG successfully argued a case against owners and operators of a Ward 5 auto repair business that repeatedly discharged oil and other pollutants into the District’s storm sewers.

Additionally, OAG has forced a landlord to clean up toxic lead paint that put children at risk. OAG has also joined numerous multistate lawsuits to stop the Trump administration from rolling back critical environmental protections, such as energy efficiency and modernization, auto emissions standards and Clean Water Act rules.

These recent actions send a clear message: all polluters are on notice. OAG will take action to protect the health of District residents and our environment.

You can report violations of environmental law in the District to the Department of Energy and Environment by calling 311 or using the 311 mobile app.