A couple of days ago, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office issued a press release regarding her recent letter to leadership of the National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and WMATA requesting a joint meeting to discuss the ordnance that was found in Fort Totten Park over a year ago. We discussed this issue in this post.

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office

Norton Requests Meeting to Discuss Unexploded Ordnance Found on Fort Totten Trail

Feb 15, 2022 

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Last week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) wrote the Director of the National Park Service, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the General Manager and CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to request a meeting to discuss the discovery of an unexploded ordinance on the Fort Totten Trail in the District of Columbia.

“I have been working to clean up the Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site since ordnance were first discovered there, in 1993, and this new discovery is extremely concerning,” Norton said. “I am committed to ensuring that residents across the District of Columbia are safe from such ordnance, chemical weapons and soil and groundwater contamination.”

February 10, 2022

Charles F. Sams III                                  Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon

Director                                                  Chief of Engineers and Commanding General

National Park Service                             U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

1100 Ohio Drive SW                               441 G Street NW

Washington, DC 20242                            Washington, DC 20314-1000

Paul J. Wiedefeld

General Manager and CEO

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

600 5th Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

Dear Director Sams, Lieutenant General Spellmon and General Manager Wiedefeld:

I write to request a meeting next week with the appropriate officials from the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to discuss the discovery of an unexploded ordnance on the Fort Totten Trail in the District of Columbia and the scope of the investigation of the trail and surrounding areas for ordnance and soil and groundwater contamination.  It appears the ordnance may be linked to the Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS).

I have been working to clean up the Spring Valley FUDS since ordnance were first discovered there, in 1993.  I am committed to ensuring that residents across the District of Columbia are safe from ordnance, chemical weapons and soil and groundwater contamination.

            My office will contact your offices to schedule the meeting.

  Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton

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