D.C. Code § 8-151.03 – Department of Energy and Environment; establishment; transfers.

(a) The Department of Energy and Environment is established as an agency within the executive branch of the government of the District of Columbia. DOEE shall be responsible for the interpretation, administration, enforcement, and oversight of environmental laws, regulations, and programs, whether involving public or private property, including laws, regulations, and programs related to the following:
1. (1) Air quality and resources;
2. (2) Water quality and resources;
3. (3) Watershed protection;
4. (4) Stormwater;
5. (5) Soil resources;
6. (6) Hazardous wastes and toxic substances, except for medical waste and low-level radioactive waste;
7. (7) Pesticides;
8. (8) Asbestos;
9. (9) Underground storage tanks;
10. (10) Aquatic and wildlife resources;
11. (11) Lead hazard prevention and elimination, except for Chapter 8D of Title 7; and
12. (12) To the extent it does not conflict with, or supersede, the urban forestry functions of the District Department of Transportation, tree and forest policy related to stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, and habitat and wildlife conservation and restoration.
(b) Repealed.

History

Feb. 15, 2006, D.C. Law 16-51, § 103, 52 DCR 10812

Aug. 16, 2008, D.C. Law 17-219, § 6002, 55 DCR 7598

May 2, 2015, D.C. Law 20-271, § 312, 62 DCR 1884

Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-160, § 6045

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 5023(a)

Mayor's Orders

Designation of Director of the District Department of the Environment as Natural Resources Trustee, see Mayor’s Order 2011-96, May 10, 2011 ( 58 DCR 4474).

Short Title

Short title: Section 6001 of D.C. Law 17-219 provided that subtitle A of title VI of the act may be cited as the “Transfer of the Lead Poison Prevention Program to the District Department of the Environment Amendment Act of 2008”.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 312 of the New Columbia Statehood Initiative, Omnibus Boards and Commissions, and Election Transition Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-7, Feb. 26, 2015, 62 DCR 2646, 21 STAT 807).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 312 of the New Columbia Statehood Initiative, Omnibus Boards and Commissions, and Election Transition Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-481, November 18, 2014, 61 DCR 12133, 20 STAT 4405).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5023(a) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-146, Sept. 3, 2025, 72 DCR 9623).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5023(a) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-210, Nov. 24, 2025, 72 DCR 13514).

Effect of Amendments

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-271 deleted “in conjunction with the Environmental Planning Commission” following “solid waste management practices” in (b)(ii)(V)(ee).

D.C. Law 17-219, in subsec. (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II), substituted “and control activities lead poison prevention program” for “and control activities”.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 8-152.01, § 8-152.02, and § 8-152.05.

Editor's Notes

For a requirment that the Department of Energy and Environment award an annual grant, on a competitive basis, in an amount not to exceed $200,000, to provide wildlife rehabilitation services, see section 6092 of D.C. Law 22-168.

For a requirment that, in Fiscal Year 2025, the Department of Energy and Environment award an annual grant to City Wildlife to support its wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work, see section 6122 of D.C. Act 25-506.