DC Council established the Office of District Waterways Management (Office) (see DC Law 24-336) to plan, promote, advocate for, and facilitate stakeholder cooperation for the diverse uses of and access to the Anacostia and Potomac River, the Washington Channel, and adjacent property. In particular, the Office seeks to facilitating better communication between the District, Maryland, Virginia, the federal government, businesses, community organizations, and the public on matters of public safety, the environment, recreation, and transportation.
The primary tasks of the Office are as follows:
1) Establish a District Waterways Advisory Commission (Commission)
The Commission will advise the Office and assist in the creation of a Waterways Advisory Plan (Plan). The Commission will convene regularly during the development of the Plan. All meetings of the commission will be subject to the Open Meetings Act with the proceedings and meeting materials made available to the public.
The Commission is comprised of 14 voting members and 15 non-voting members. The Office is coordinating with DC Council and the Mayors Office of Talent and Appointments to appoint the members of the Commission. See below for details on how to apply.
Voting Members: Of the 14 voting members – 7 are appointed by the Mayor, and 7 are appointed by the Chairman of the Council. As outlined below, these voting members of the Commission will be chosen to provide diverse perspectives based on their professional or personal background.
Mayoral Appointments (7)
- Public safety
- Environmental Stewardship
- Economic Development or Tourism
- Maritime Management or Policy
- Athletics and Recreation
- Maritime Transportation
- General Member
Chairman of the Council Appointments (7)
- ANC Commissioner – West of the River
- ANC Commissioner – East of the River
- BID Representative – West of the River
- BID Representative – East of the River
- Marina / Yacht Club Representative #1
- Marina / Yacht Club Representative #2
- Expert in Waterway Management
How to Apply to be a Voting Member of the Commission:
Please use the links below to submit your application for a Mayoral or Council appointment. Eligible candidates cannot be current employees of the District of Columbia. Preference will be given to residents of the District of Columbia and individuals who do not currently serve on another DC board or commission.
For a Mayoral appointment: please submit your application via the Mayor’s Office and Talent Appointment:
For a Chairman of the Council appointment: please submit your application.
For questions, please contact the Office at [email protected]
Non-Voting Members: The Commission will also include 15 non-voting members who will be nominated by their respective District or federal agencies. The agencies represented by these non-voting members are outlined in below.
District Agencies (10)
- Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
- Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice
- Metropolitan Police Department
- Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
- District Department of Transportation
- Department of Energy and Environment
- District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
- Washington Convention and Sports Authority
- Public Service Commission
- Department of Housing and Community Development
Federal Agencies (5)
- National Park Service
- United States Coast Guard
- Department of Defense
- Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- National Capital Planning Commission
2) District Waterways Advisory Plan
Once the Commission is established, it will work to develop a Waterways Advisory Plan to set out a strategic vision for the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, the Washington Channel, and adjacent property. The Waterways Advisory Plan will address:
(1) The orderly, safe, and efficient use of the District’s waterways for boating and recreation
(2) Public and private uses of property and infrastructure adjacent to the District’s waterways
(3) Interagency and regional coordination on issues relevant to the District’s waterways and adjacent property
(4) Environmental conservation and management of the District’s waterways and adjacent property
(5) Strategies for coordinated economic growth on and adjacent to the District’s waterways
(6) Assessments of safety and security risks and needs on and adjacent to the District’s waterways
(7) Identification of transportation gaps on and adjacent to the District’s waterways
(8) Opportunities to increase local control of the District’s waterways and adjacent property
Contact Us
The Office of District Waterways Management looks forward to engaging with the public on this important work.
Kara Pennino, Waterways Administrator
[email protected]
Brent Peterson, Program Analyst
[email protected]