environment

Ending the inflationary spiral of the past decade through fiscal responsibility, and efficiency in all echelons of government.

The orderly and economical utilization of the natural resources of this city coupled with a sensible program of conservation of these resources.

An insistence that the laboring man and woman be given his fair share of responsibility, and reward for the development of the mighty potential of this city.

These investments must focus particularly on historically underserved communities, where decades of environmental exposure and infrastructure gaps have created disproportionate health and economic risks.

To meet these challenges, Washington should align environmental planning with responsibly integrated AI modernization. Data-driven systems can help identify infrastructure failures before they become crises, improve energy efficiency, coordinate emergency response, and guide housing and transportation investments where they will have the greatest public benefit.

This is the vision of a community-centered Eutopia: a city where residents have a direct role in shaping the environmental policies that affect their neighborhoods, where government decisions are guided by evidence and public participation, and where the success of every policy is measured by a single standard

Washington, D.C. must become a model of Eutopian urban environmental governance, where climate resilience, public health, and infrastructure planning are integrated into the core functions of city government rather than treated as separate priorities.

The Human Life Standard recognizes that environmental policy is not separate from quality of life. Clean air, safe water, resilient neighborhoods, affordable housing, and healthy communities are interconnected outcomes of the same governing system.

Our approach to governance is defined by attention to detail, transparency, and measurable performance. Every investment must demonstrate how it improves the daily lives of residents while strengthening the city’s long-term resilience.

Under the Human Life Standard, the people, the economy, and the environment are not competing interests, they are interconnected parts of a single living system. Just as a corporation functions as one entity composed of many departments, society functions best when its institutions work together toward improving the lives of everyone.

Washington, D.C. must become a model of Eutopian urban environmental governance, where climate resilience, public health, and infrastructure planning are integrated into the core functions of city government rather than treated as separate priorities.

The Human Life Standard recognizes that environmental policy is not separate from quality of life. Clean air, safe water, resilient neighborhoods, affordable housing, and healthy communities are interconnected outcomes of the same governing system.

To meet these challenges, Washington should align environmental planning with responsibly integrated AI modernization. Data-driven systems can help identify infrastructure failures before they become crises, improve energy efficiency, coordinate emergency response, and guide housing and transportation investments where they will have the greatest public benefit.

This is the vision of a community-centered Eutopia: a city where residents have a direct role in shaping the environmental policies that affect their neighborhoods, where government decisions are guided by evidence and public participation, and where the success of every policy is measured by a single standard

The Human Life Standard is not defined by ideology.

Climate policy must operate across every major sector of government because environmental conditions directly affect public health, housing stability, transportation, energy, and economic opportunity. Priorities include protecting water quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, expanding green infrastructure, and ensuring that new and existing buildings are resilient to flooding and extreme weather.

These investments must focus particularly on historically underserved communities, where decades of environmental exposure and infrastructure gaps have created disproportionate health and economic risks.

To meet these challenges, Washington should align environmental planning with responsibly integrated AI modernization. Data-driven systems can help identify infrastructure failures before they become crises, improve energy efficiency, coordinate emergency response, and guide housing and transportation investments where they will have the greatest public benefit.

Oye will strengthen protections for foster youth by ensuring education continuity, housing stability, and transition support. As a public health professional, he understands environmental policy is youth policy and will fight to reduce pollution, extreme heat, and climate risks that harm young people. Oye will follow youth leadership and ensure young people have a real voice in shaping DC’s future.

DC residents deserve clean air, safe water, and healthy homes in every ward, whether they live East of the River, Uptown, or West of the Park. Communities deserve protection from extreme heat, flooding, severe storms, and the environmental harms that fall hardest on Black, brown, and low-income neighborhoods. Families deserve homes that do not make them sick, utility bills they can afford, and infrastructure that is built to withstand a changing climate.

People deserve parks, trees, shade, and green space that cool their blocks, clean waterways like the Anacostia and Potomac, and neighborhoods free from plastic waste and toxic pollution. And the District deserves a clean energy future that cuts carbon pollution, improves public health, creates union jobs, and delivers affordable, stable housing.

Fact 2 — The Total Cost The DHS campus consolidation at St. Elizabeths has consumed more than $3.2 billion in congressional appropriations over 13+ years — described by Federal News Network as "the most ambitious federal building project since the Pentagon." Over $2.7 billion had already been invested before the current construction phase began. Clark Construction, a Bethesda, Maryland company, holds the current $524 million contract for the CISA and ICE/CBP buildings.

Fact 3 — Climate Money Is Paying for Deportation Infrastructure The federal government used $288 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding — marketed to the public as climate and green building investment — to fund this project. The breakdown: $115.8 million included in the Clark Construction CISA contract, $80.8 million for the ICE/CBP headquarters, and $67 million for a new parking garage and gatehouse. This was the largest single IRA project investment in GSA history at the time of award.

Fact 4 — Five Presidents, No DC Vote This project was initiated under President George W. Bush in 2004 and continued under Presidents Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump again. The project spanned five presidential administrations over 20 years — with each continuing rather than canceling the consolidation. At no point did DC residents have a meaningful vote. DC has no Senate representation and its House Delegate cannot vote on legislation. The final decision to proceed with the maximum build-out was signed by a single unelected DHS official on July 13, 2022.

Eliminating access to food and shelter reduces rat reproduction and reduces reliance on poison. That means prioritizing containerization, sanitation enforcement, compost access, structural repairs, and public education in coordination with DC Health and the Department of Public Works.

Animals in the District, including the rats, deserve clean air, protected rivers, healthy tree canopy, and preserved habitat. Rock Creek Park, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, and the Anacostia and Potomac rivers make DC one of the most biodiverse urban areas in the country. Our official bird, the Wood Thrush, along with migratory birds, hawks, eagles, and pollinators, depend on responsible land use, less pollution, and a stable climate.

Families deserve affordable veterinary care, pet-inclusive housing, protection from excessive pet fees, and strong humane law enforcement.

Companion animals face their own barriers. Veterinary care is increasingly expensive. Excessive pet fees and restrictive housing policies force families into impossible choices. Humane law enforcement responds to cruelty cases, but prevention and coordination across agencies remain weak.

At the same time, factory farming drives climate pollution, and the District is debating humane food policies, including full implementation of the 25 percent Green Food law and whether to ban foie gras produced through force-feeding.

The District deserves a comprehensive animal policy rooted in science, prevention, and compassion.

Utilities are essential infrastructure, and access to energy and water must be treated as a public good. No family in the District should lose electricity, heat, or water because they cannot afford rising bills. Shutoffs create public health risks, destabilize housing, and deepen inequality. As a healthcare professional, Oye understands that utility loss means spoiled medication, unsafe temperatures, and worsening chronic illness.

District residents deserve affordable, clean, and reliable systems governed in the public interest rather than driven by shareholder profit targets. The District deserves a permanent ban on shutoffs for inability to pay, meaningful debt relief, and protections that keep families safely housed. Regulation should reward reliability, affordability, and climate progress, not infrastructure expansion alone.

DC deserves Public Service Commissioners that answer to ratepayers and operate with full transparency. If monopoly utilities continue placing profits over people, the District deserves a serious and democratic pathway toward public power, where residents have ownership, oversight, and a voice in shaping the systems they depend on every day.

DC residents continue to live with polluted air, plastic waste, and waterways burdened by decades of neglect. Communities East of the River face higher exposure to heat, flooding, and environmental hazards while receiving fewer protective investments. Children suffer from asthma and respiratory illness linked to unhealthy housing, while public dollars are spent treating illness instead of preventing it.

The District allows new fossil fuel infrastructure that locks residents into higher costs and long-term harm. Funds meant to lower energy bills and improve health have been diverted away from their purpose, delaying progress and breaking trust. Climate change is already affecting daily life, but the response remains uneven, slow, and disconnected from the communities most impacted.

People with disabilities in DC face barriers despite clear civil rights protections. Housing, transportation, public buildings, sidewalks, shelters, and government offices are often inaccessible or only partially compliant with the ADA. Programs that are legally required to be usable are difficult or impossible to access in practice. Inaccessible websites, poor communication access, and delayed accommodations block residents from applying for benefits, attending public meetings, or participating fully in civic life. Enforcement is inconsistent, and residents are pushed between agencies…

Fact 4 — Five Presidents, No DC Vote This project was initiated under President George W. Bush in 2004 and continued under Presidents Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump again. The project spanned five presidential administrations over 20 years — with each continuing rather than canceling the consolidation. At no point did DC residents have a meaningful vote. DC has no Senate representation and its House Delegate cannot vote on legislation. The final decision to proceed with the maximum build-out was signed by a single unelected DHS official on July 13, 2022.

Fact 5 — DHS Overrode Its Own Environmental Experts DHS's own 2020 environmental review found that the "No Action Alternative is the environmentally preferable alternative for natural and cultural resources." That means doing nothing was better for the land, the trees, and the historic character of the community. DHS chose the maximum build-out anyway — disturbing 8 acres of the campus plateau and demolishing multiple historic buildings. The decision was made without a DC vote and without community consent.

Fact 6 — DHS Overrode Its Own Engineering Experts In December 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declared an emergency to demolish 13 historic buildings on the campus — bypassing the normal historic preservation review process. But GSA's own hired engineering firm, AECOM, had assessed those same buildings just months earlier and found them "generally in stable condition" and "viable for stabilization and future adaptive reuse." Nine of the 13 had only minor or moderate structural defects. The National Trust for Historic Preservation and DC Preservation League formally opposed the demolition and…

Oye supports a bottle bill to establish a deposit and return system for beverage containers, reduce pollution, protect waterways, and create local jobs. He will require large beverage companies to take responsibility for the waste they produce while protecting small businesses. He will also invest in trees, cooling centers, stormwater infrastructure, all-electric public fleets including school buses, and a Green New Deal for Social Housing so climate action delivers real benefits to residents.

DC residents continue to live with polluted air, plastic waste, and waterways burdened by decades of neglect. Communities East of the River face higher exposure to heat, flooding, and environmental hazards while receiving fewer protective investments. Children suffer from asthma and respiratory illness linked to unhealthy housing, while public dollars are spent treating illness instead of preventing it.

The District allows new fossil fuel infrastructure that locks residents into higher costs and long-term harm. Funds meant to lower energy bills and improve health have been diverted away from their purpose, delaying progress and breaking trust. Climate change is already affecting daily life, but the response remains uneven, slow, and disconnected from the communities most impacted.

Animals in the District are living in a fragmented, reactive system. Tree canopy is shrinking in many neighborhoods. Air quality and river pollution harm wildlife just as they harm people. Habitat is squeezed by development, and when problems arise, the response is often to kill first and coordinate later.

Rat management still relies heavily on poison, even though DC Health has made clear that most rodent problems stem from poor waste management. Those poisons do not stay contained. They move up the food chain, harming hawks, owls, foxes, and pets. Meanwhile, trash overflows, broken bins go unreplaced, and gaps in buildings allow populations to grow.

Companion animals face their own barriers. Veterinary care is increasingly expensive. Excessive pet fees and restrictive housing policies force families into impossible choices. Humane law enforcement responds to cruelty cases, but prevention and coordination across agencies remain weak.

Oye supports freezing expansion of new fossil gas infrastructure, accelerating building electrification that lowers long term costs, and expanding rooftop and community solar with priority investment in Wards 7 and 8 where energy burdens are highest. He will also advance a serious evaluation of public power to increase local control, reinvest revenue into communities, and ensure energy policy lowers bills, improves health, and strengthens resilience across the District.

Animals in the District are living in a fragmented, reactive system. Tree canopy is shrinking in many neighborhoods. Air quality and river pollution harm wildlife just as they harm people. Habitat is squeezed by development, and when problems arise, the response is often to kill first and coordinate later.

Rat management still relies heavily on poison, even though DC Health has made clear that most rodent problems stem from poor waste management. Those poisons do not stay contained. They move up the food chain, harming hawks, owls, foxes, and pets. Meanwhile, trash overflows, broken bins go unreplaced, and gaps in buildings allow populations to grow.

District residents deserve affordable, clean, and reliable systems governed in the public interest rather than driven by shareholder profit targets. The District deserves a permanent ban on shutoffs for inability to pay, meaningful debt relief, and protections that keep families safely housed. Regulation should reward reliability, affordability, and climate progress, not infrastructure expansion alone.

DC deserves Public Service Commissioners that answer to ratepayers and operate with full transparency. If monopoly utilities continue placing profits over people, the District deserves a serious and democratic pathway toward public power, where residents have ownership, oversight, and a voice in shaping the systems they depend on every day.

Oye fights to center affordability, transparency, and democratic accountability in the District’s utility system while building a shared movement around energy as a public good. As a Councilmember, he will strengthen shutoff protections and expand utility debt relief so no household loses essential services during financial hardship.

Pepco and Washington Gas operate as regulated monopolies that guarantee profits to shareholders while residents absorb the cost. DC Water, though publicly owned, still relies heavily on rate increases tied to capital expansion that strain working families across the District. When utilities violate the public trust, consequences are limited. Pepco undercredited Solar For All customers by more than $800,000 in violation of DC law and faced no meaningful penalties.

At the same time, regulators approved long term fossil gas investments that lock residents into higher bills despite the District’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050. The current system rewards expansion and guaranteed returns rather than affordability, reliability, or public health, leaving ratepayers treated as revenue streams instead of residents whose safety depends on essential services.

Utilities are essential infrastructure, and access to energy and water must be treated as a public good. No family in the District should lose electricity, heat, or water because they cannot afford rising bills. Shutoffs create public health risks, destabilize housing, and deepen inequality. As a healthcare professional, Oye understands that utility loss means spoiled medication, unsafe temperatures, and worsening chronic illness.

Every DC resident is a ratepayer, and nearly every ratepayer feels squeezed. Electricity, gas, and water bills continue rising while accountability falls short. Nearly a quarter of households carry utility debt, and delivery fees and infrastructure surcharges increase regardless of how much energy or water people actually use.

Pepco and Washington Gas operate as regulated monopolies that guarantee profits to shareholders while residents absorb the cost. DC Water, though publicly owned, still relies heavily on rate increases tied to capital expansion that strain working families across the District. When utilities violate the public trust, consequences are limited. Pepco undercredited Solar For All customers by more than $800,000 in violation of DC law and faced no meaningful penalties.

At the same time, regulators approved long term fossil gas investments that lock residents into higher bills despite the District’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050. The current system rewards expansion and guaranteed returns rather than affordability, reliability, or public health, leaving ratepayers treated as revenue streams instead of residents whose safety depends on essential services.

The overall consolidation effort has consumed more than $3.2 billion in congressional appropriations over 13+ years — described by Federal News Network as "the most ambitious federal building project since the Pentagon." Over $2.7 billion had already been invested before the current construction phase began.

The federal government is spending $288 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding — money sold to the American public as a climate and community investment — to build the physical headquarters for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the heart of Southeast DC. That breaks down to $80.8 million for the ICE and CBP headquarters, $140.8 million for CISA, and $67 million for a new parking garage and gatehouse. This is the same pot of money that was supposed to fund green buildings, good jobs, and community investment. Instead, it is paying for the command centerof the largest detention and deportation operation in American history — in a historically Black neighborhood that has been asking for schools, healthcare, food access, and affordable housing for decades. And here is what makes it worse: the Department of Homeland Security's own environmental review found that doing nothing was the better option for the natural and cultural resources of this community. Their own experts said building this would cause more ground disturbance, destroy more trees, and demolish more historic structures than any other alternative. DHS chose the maximum build-out anyway — signed off by a single unelected federal official in July 2022, with no vote from DC residents, no congressional representation, and no meaningful recourse for the people who live here.

What ICE Does — Nationally and in Our Neighborhoods

Expanded Ward 5’s tree canopy by partnering with organizations like Casey Trees to reduce heat and pollution

Advanced environmental justice reforms by introducing legislation like the Environmental Justice Amendment Act of 2023 to confront decades of inequities that have treated Ward 5 as a dumping ground and ensure healthier, more equitable land use decisions moving forward

Worked with the Office of Planning to advance a comprehensive vision for Rhode Island Avenue, securing nearly $500,000 in grants to support small businesses, and leading a multi-year revitalization effort with city partners to drive equitable growth along the corridor

The post it quotes, by @DCAttorneyGen

NEW: Fort Myer will make sweeping environmental improvements to address water pollution at a Ward 5 facility. It will also pay $450,000, abide by strict monitoring, and face penalties for noncompliance. We are holding the company accountable and protecting the Anacostia River.

As a champion for our communities, Zach has:

Expanded Ward 5’s tree canopy by partnering with organizations like Casey Trees to reduce heat and pollution

Advanced environmental justice reforms by introducing legislation like the Environmental Justice Amendment Act of 2023 to confront decades of inequities that have treated Ward 5 as a dumping ground and ensure healthier, more equitable land use decisions moving forward

Drive development that works for everyone: Focus growth along key corridors — Rhode Island Avenue, North Capitol Street, and 12th Street — to bring amenities and opportunity to current residents.

Build Healthy Communities: Reduce pollution in neighborhoods like Ivy City and Brentwood while building safer streets to improve everyday life for all Ward 5 residents.

Zachary Parker is the clear consensus candidate in the Ward 5 race.