ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
FOR
DC WATER’S PROPOSED PINEY BRANCH TUNNEL PROJECT
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
WASHINGTON, DC
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) is proposing to construct the Piney Branch Tunnel Project within Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington, DC. The Project is a major component to be implemented as part of DC Water’s Long Term Control Plan, also known as the DC Clean Rivers Project. DC Water estimates nearly 40 million gallons of stormwater combined with sanitary sewage overflow into Piney Branch every year. These combined sewer overflows, or CSOs, contribute to water quality degradation of Piney Branch, Rock Creek and ultimately the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The proposed Piney Branch Tunnel Project would capture most of these CSOs so they can be treated at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant before being discharged into the Potomac River. DC Water estimates that the Piney Branch Tunnel would reduce untreated CSOs into Piney Branch by 96% by volume and limit CSO frequency from 25 to one in a year of average rainfall.
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
The National Park Service and DC Water are seeking public comments on an Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA will be available for public review and comment from October 15, 2024, to December 6, 2024. To view or download the EA, or to submit comments online, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/dcPineyBranch. Comments postmarked by December 6, 2024 may also be submitted in writing to:
Superintendent
Rock Creek Park
RE: Piney Branch Tunnel EA
3545 Williamsburg Lane NW
Washington, DC 20008
To learn more about the DC Clean Rivers Project, or the Piney Branch Tunnel, please visit https://www.dcwater.com/cleanrivers or https://www.dcwater.com/pbs.