The DC Environmental Network, founded in 1996 and spearheaded by Friends of the Earth, is working toward a vision of rebuilding Washington, DC's neighborhoods and communities for long-term economic stability. We are accomplishing this by protecting and restoring the Capital City's urban environment. We also engage at the regional level when necessary.
The undertaking is a challenge: Major environmental problems in the region include global warming, contaminated drinking water, air pollution, congested traffic, neighborhood trash, degradation of the Anacostia River and lead contamination. Rising to the challenge is a thriving coalition made up of over 150 local and national organizations including Friends of the Earth, the Sierra Club, the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Clean Water Action, Washington Parks & People, the Anacostia Watershed Society and many more.
Meeting every month to focus on problems specific to the DC region, Network members exchange current information and develop campaign strategies. The Network then helps coordinate a coalition response.
Here is a listing of just some of our important campaigns.
We are seeking a fishable and swimmable Anacostia River. We helped pass legislation to ban coal tar; create cutting edge stormwater controls and collect stormwater fees based on amount of impervious surface to fund Anacostia River restoration efforts.
The Network created this coalition to deal with the challenge of DC budget shortfalls. It is comprised of over 160 environmental, faith, business, labor, housing and other advocacy organizations working together to protect basic human needs including environmental initiatives. The coalition has developed principles for how District government should deal with budget shortfalls and is implementing advocacy campaign to achieve our joint goals.
This coalition formed in 2003 to bring more wind and solar power to DC, MD & VA. After passing a Renewable Portfolio Standard, our climate coalition has worked hard to increase the amount of local initiatives engaged in combating global warming. Recently we helped create policies to establish an energy efficiency utility designed to target the 70% of emissions that are created by buildings in DC. We are also working to ban coal power in DC.
This coalition is led by Friends of the Earth and Global Green USA. We are working to convince the Department of Defense, the fifth highest user of energy in the world, to develop an aggressive plan to decrease their dependence on fossil fuels, starting with their facilities in the Washington Metro region. Our first symbolic target is to have the Pentagon build a solar fueling facility on their parking lot.
The DC Environmental Network holds monthly luncheons and creates other opportunities for Network members to connect and discuss local environmental challenges.
The DC Environmental Network publishes the DC Environmental Agenda with recommendations on ways the District can protect and defend our local environment. We also will be publishing a new DC Green Scissors report to show wasteful government spending that hurts taxpayers and the environment.
