Washington, DC, Sues Federal Government Over River Pollution (1)

The US government used the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., as a “cost-free dumping ground” for toxic waste for more than a century and should cover cleanup expenses, according to a lawsuit from the district’s attorney general.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in the US District Court of the District of Columbia, says the US polluted the river with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and heavy metals from its operations in Washington Navy Yard, Kenilworth Landfill, federal printing facilities, and other sites.

“The United States is not immune from complying with environmental laws, and today, we’re suing to hold it financially accountable ...