Jamie Bennet
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments teamed up with consulting firm ICF to conduct a study on the environmental impact of four military facilities on surrounding communities in Washington, D.C.
The Military Installation Resilience Review received funding from the Department of Defense’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, MWCOG said Wednesday.
Researchers focused on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, the Naval Research Laboratory and the Washington Navy Yard.
They found 14 areas of improvement to achieve climate resilience, specifically at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant and Lower Anacostia Waterfront. The treatment plant, for instance, needed floodwall construction and stormwater pumping station retrofitting, according to the report.
The organizations hope the MIRR will encourage government agencies to enhance infrastructure surrounding the military bases for the benefit of nearby historically disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.
“The MIRR serves as a blueprint to build resilience in communities surrounding military installations across the country while also advancing equity,” said Peter Schultz, climate center senior fellow and vice president for climate adaptation and resilience at ICF.
