District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0178 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	________________________________ ________________________________ 1
2	2	Chairman Phil Mendelson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 2
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5	5	________________________________ ________________________________ 5
6	6	Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 6
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9	9	________________________________ ________________________________ 9
10	10	Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Anita Bonds 10
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13	13	________________________________ ________________________________ 13
14	14	Councilmember Henderson Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 14
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17	17	________________________________ 17
18	18	Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 18
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20	20	A BILL 20
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22	22	__________________ 22
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25	25	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 25
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27	27	__________________ 27
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29	29	To amend the Department of Energy and Environment Establishment Act of 2005 to establish 29
30	30	the Natural Areas Conservation Program within the Department of Energy and 30
31	31	Environment to provide stewardship of and conserve District-owned or -managed natural 31
32	32	areas, develop a natural areas stewardship and invasive plant response plan, and establish 32
33	33	Natural Areas Stewardship projects. 33
34	34	34
35	35	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
36	36	act may be cited as the “Natural Areas Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025”. 36
37	37	Sec. 2. The Department of Energy and Environment Establishment Act of 2005, effective 37
38	38	February 15, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-51; D.C. Official Code § 8-151.01 et seq.), is amended as follows: 38
39	39	(a) Section 101 (D.C. Official Code § 8-151.01) is amended as follows: 39
40	40	(1) A new paragraph (1A) is added to read as follows: 40 “(1A) “Conservation easement” means a nonpossessory interest of a holder in real 41
41	41	property imposing limitations or affirmative obligations the purposes of which include retaining 42
42	42	or protecting natural, scenic, or open-space values of real property, ensuring its availability for 43
43	43	agricultural, forestal, recreational, or open-space use, protecting natural resources, maintaining or 44
44	44	enhancing air or water quality, or preserving the historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural 45
45	45	aspects of real property.”. 46
46	46	(2) A new paragraph (7A) is added to read as follows: 47
47	47	“(7A) “Integrated pest management” means a sustainable approach to managing 48
48	48	pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes 49
49	49	economic, health, and environmental risks.”. 50
50	50	(3) A new paragraph (8A) is added to read as follows: 51
51	51	“(8A) “Low-impact recreation” means non-motorized outdoor, nature-based 52
52	52	recreational activities, including, but not limited to, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, 53
53	53	picnicking, nature observation, photography, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and 54
54	54	enjoyment of open space.”. 55
55	55	(4) New paragraphs (9A) and (9B) are added to read as follows: 56
56	56	“(9A) “NACP” means the Natural Areas Conservation Program established by 57
57	57	section 109f.”. 58
58	58	“(9B) “Natural areas” means undeveloped or wild lands and those lands preserved 59
59	59	or restored and managed for their natural features, including but not limited to parks, forests, 60
60	60	grasslands, wetlands and shorelines on public and private lands.”. 61
61	61	(5) A new paragraph (13B) is added to read as follows: 62 “(13B) “Stewardship” means activities undertaken to maintain natural areas to 63
62	62	prevent the deterioration or impairment of a natural area, or land use, including management of 64
63	63	vegetation such as removal of invasive plants and planting of native species.”. 65
64	64	(b) New sections 109f and 109g are added to read as follows: 66
65	65	“Sec. 109f. Natural Areas Conservation Program establishment. 67
66	66	“(a) There is established the Natural Areas Conservation Program within DOEE. The 68
67	67	purpose of the NACP is to provide stewardship of natural areas owned or managed by the District. 69
68	68	“(b) NACP shall: 70
69	69	“(1) Provide stewardship of and restore the ecological function and value of 71
70	70	District-owned natural areas through integrated pest management and planting of native plants; 72
71	71	(2) Collaborate with the Department of Transportation on managing trees in 73
72	72	District-owned and -managed natural areas; 74
73	73	“(3) Develop expertise in integrated pest management, invasive plants, and the 75
74	74	promotion of native plants; 76
75	75	“(4) Collaborate with the University of the District of Columbia on the 77
76	76	propagation of native plants and operation of a native plant nursery; 78
77	77	“(5) Have the authority to develop Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with 79
78	78	the National Park Service (“NPS”) and other Federal agencies to supplement stewardship of 80
79	79	Federally-owned and -managed natural areas; 81
80	80	“(6) Coordinate with the Department of Parks and Recreation to allow low-impact 82
81	81	recreation in natural areas by installing and maintaining trails and signage; 83 “(5) Coordinate efforts to remove trash and combat illegal dumping in natural 84
82	82	areas in consultation with the Department of Public Works, Metropolitan Police Department, 85
83	83	United States Park Police and non-profit partners; 86
84	84	“(6) Monitor, track, and report on the state of the District’s Natural Areas; 87
85	85	“(7) Develop the Natural Areas Stewardship and Invasive Plant Response Plan 88
86	86	required by section 109g; 89
87	87	“(8) Partner with non-profit organizations, community-based groups, and 90
88	88	individuals to assist in the stewardship of natural areas; and 91
89	89	“(9) Coordinate Natural Areas Stewardship Projects (“Projects”) that supplement 92
90	90	DOEE’s stewardship of natural areas on District-owned and -managed lands. The Projects shall: 93
91	91	“(A) Provide technical assistance and training to individuals, 94
92	92	organizations, and grantees on the promotion of native plants and the removal of invasive plant 95
93	93	species; and 96
94	94	“(B) Provide tools and equipment to support trained groups in invasive 97
95	95	plant management and trash removal.”. 98
96	96	“(c) DOEE, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, 99
97	97	approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall have the 100
98	98	authority to issue rules to implement the provisions of sections 109f and 109g. 101
99	99	“(d) The NACP may issue grants in furtherance of its duties identified in subsection (b) 102
100	100	of this section, including to support Natural Areas Stewardship Projects.”. 103
101	101	“Sec. 109g. Natural Areas Stewardship and Invasive Plant Response Plan. 104 “(a) Within 24 months of the applicability date of this section, DOEE shall develop a 105
102	102	Natural Areas Stewardship and Invasive Plant Response Plan (“Plan”) to establish a strategic 106
103	103	vision for the stewardship of the District’s natural areas, and the Plan shall: 107
104	104	“(1) Identify and map all natural areas in the District; 108
105	105	“(2) Identify strategies for promoting the growth of native plants and managing 109
106	106	the removal of invasive plant species in District-owned and -managed natural areas; 110
107	107	“(3) Assess the use of critical area designations, as defined by D.C. Code § 8–111
108	108	1731.02, and conservation easements to establish permanent protection for District-owned and -112
109	109	managed natural areas and, if appropriate, provide recommendations for specific natural areas 113
110	110	that should receive a critical area designation or conservation easement; and 114
111	111	“(4) Assess, in coordination with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the 115
112	112	Department of Transportation, how to allow low-impact recreation in District-owned natural 116
113	113	areas with trails and signage. 117
114	114	“(b) The Plan shall include cost estimates for fulfilling each goal identified in subsection 118
115	115	(a) of this section. 119
116	116	“(c) At least 60 days prior to the adoption of the Plan, the NACP shall: 120
117	117	“(1) Publish a draft Plan for a public comment period of no less than 30 days; and 121
118	118	“(2) Convene at least 2 public meetings, including one for residents east of the 122
119	119	Anacostia River, to solicit public testimony and written comments on the draft Plan.”. 123
120	120	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 124
121	121	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 125
122	122	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 126
123	123	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code§ 1-301.47a). 127 Sec. 4. Effective date. 128
124	124	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 129
125	125	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 130
126	126	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 131
127	127	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 132
128	128	Columbia Register. 133