On May 17, 2022, Eckington civic leaders and organizations sent a letter to District officials calling on the D.C. Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) to make significant changes to the permit for the Fort Myer asphalt plant located in Eckington at 5th and V streets NE. The letter (a pdf of which is available here) was drafted by the Eckington Civic Association (ECA) and signed by the ECA, ANC 5E03 Commissioner Denise Wright, former ANC 5E03 Commissioner Hannah Powell, and Eckington Parks and Arts.
The letter calls for common-sense limitations on the asphalt plant’s operation, including restrictions on hours and days of operation, restrictions on the plant’s operation when air quality is poor, and assurances that Fort Myers will address longstanding issues with odor, dust, noise, and truck traffic nuisances. The letter also calls out DOEE and city leadership for their failure to install permanent equipment to measure ambient air quality nearby, despite the fact that Ward 5 is home to the vast majority of D.C.’s industrial facilities and activity. Finally, the letter notes that Eckington’s neighbors in Brentwood likely have similar concerns about a separate Fort Myers asphalt plant and requests that representatives of the Brentwood community be involved in conversations with the District and Fort Myer.
“The Mayor and the D.C. Council have chosen to concentrate industrial activity in Eckington and across Ward 5 with little regard to the residents, school children, and trail users who are most impacted by air pollution, heavy truck traffic, and other harms created by that activity,” said Conor Shaw, President of the Eckington Civic Association. “Residents have tried to work with District agencies for years to address these harms to little effect,” Shaw continued. “It is long past time for DOEE and Eckington’s elected representatives to ensure that Ward 5 residents are better protected from harms created by Fort Myer’s operations in Eckington.”
The ECA looks forward to working with Commissioner Wright, Eckington Parks & Arts, Fort Myer, DOEE, and our elected leaders to limit and reduce the environmental harm caused by the Fort Myer asphalt plant in Eckington.
Eckington Civic Association 