On April 12, DEQ withdrew the Revised Variance because “DEQ believes that these issues are now being addressed between the data centers, the utilities, and the regional transmission organization (PJM interconnect).
On January 23, 2023, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, issued a public notice for a Variance to the Air Permit for emergency diesel backup generators should the PJM electrical grid experience acute stress.
Pictured: Susan Bonney April 6 at DEQ
Negative impacts from diesel exhaust and diesel emissions to human health, the environment, climate change, and environmental justice are well known. Comments at the February 27 public hearing at the Woodbridge DEQ office overwhelmingly opposed the Variance. Sierra Club’s Ivy Main and Ann Bennet made strong comments opposing the Variance. And, the Data Center Coalition made a key recommendation that the Variance apply only to Loudoun County since that’s where the problem is located.
Then, the DEQ issued a Revised Variance for Loudoun County alone. Loudoun County Supervisors were concerned about DEQ’s lack of communication and holding April 6 public hearing outside Loudoun County. Critical analysis by the Piedmont Environmental Council, PEC, revealed that the Revised Variance would apply to over 4000 Loudoun diesel backup generators. Moreover, PEC determined that the number of PJM alerts to trigger the variance have increased dramatically , one in 2019, followed by 10 in 2020, 30 in 2021, and 82 in 2022. Sierra Club’s Susan Bonney and Natalie Pien joined other Loudoun residents as well as Prince William County residents at the public hearing to speak in opposition.
DEQ must uphold its adopted mission “to protect and improve the environment for the health, well-being and quality of life of all Virginians.”
Environmentalists' Gathering at Leesburg Winery/Brewery Quattro Goombas
Come to Loudoun Environmentalists Meet and Greet!
WHEN: Saturday, May 13; 1 PM
WHERE: Quattro Goombas, 22860 James Monroe Hwy, Aldie, VA, Route 15 S between Leesburg and Middleburg
DETAILS: Come to the Loudoun Environmentalists' Gathering to meet like-minded Loudoun residents to talk about your community and environmental concerns. Learn how you can effectively utilize grassroots power to defend your community. It’s up to all of us to ensure Loudoun County remains a beautiful place to live for generations to come. Our decision-makers are pushing plans that could fundamentally alter our communities--from giant data centers to countless development projects that will harm our air, water, and soil. Coming together under a shared appreciation for our environment is how we maintain and create a sustainable Loudon where our families can thrive. That’s why we are inviting you to another Loudoun Environmentalists' Gathering. Find out how we can improve Loudoun’s leadership to protect our future. Be there!
RSVP today--Enjoy complimentary food and soft beverages.
CONTACT: Natalie Pien at natcpien1@gmail.com--please put "Gathering" in the Subject Line.
SPONSORS: Sierra Club Great Falls Group, Chesapeake Climate Action Network NoVA
Prince William Office of Sustainability Virtual Town Hall
The Prince William Office of Sustainability is holding a virtual Townhall on Wednesday, May 17th at 6:30pm to seek public input on which actions should be considered high priority in the Prince William Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan (CESMP). The CESMP is being developed to serve as a roadmap for meeting the county’s Climate Mitigation and Resiliency goals set forth by the Board of County Supervisors.
Pleasereview the draft action lists, which currently include 65 actions for greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy and climate adaptation and resiliency. If you would like to speak during the Townhall, you will have 3 minutes to share which actions you believe should be a priority and why.
Please register for the Virtual Townhall here. If you would like to speak during the Townhall, indicate on the registration form and login 30 minutes prior to the event to get set up. Spanish translation services are available for speakers. Please indicate if you would like to utilize these services when you register. Registration closes on Tuesday, May 16th at 5pm. Participants must be registered to attend.
If you have any questions please reach out to Director of the Office of Sustainability, Giulia Manno, atgmanno@pwcgov.org
The Prince William Office of Sustainability is seeking public input on which actions should be considered high priority in the Prince William Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan (CESMP).
Fairfax County School Board November 2023 general elections are preceded this year by primary caucuses for those running as Democrats and as Republicans. The Republicans are using the traditional approach and members of the Fairfax County Republican Committee voted and have selected their endorsed candidates.
Pictured: Discovery Elementary School, Arlington, VA ; Architects APS and VMDO
For the first time, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee has opened the primary caucus to anyone who is a registered voter and who signs up at this website by the 5th of May, 2023. The voting is online May 13-20. Here are more details about voting in this caucus.
We sent questionnaires to all the candidates for FCPS school board. Our questions focused on FCPS achieving the Joint Environmental Task Force (JET) commitments that the school board has made in their Final Report and achieving the equity and inclusion that the School Board and the Board of Supervisors have committed to achieve through OneFairfax. Here is the list of candidates who participated by both responding correctly to the questionnaire and participating in a 45-minute interview:
Harold Sims-Mt. Vernon
Mateo Dunne-Mt. Vernon
Paul Thomas-Hunter Mill
Sandy Anderson-Springfield
Robyn Lady-Dranesville
Seema Dixit-Sully
Ryan McElveen-at Large
Ilryong Moon-at Large
Hamid Munir-at Large
Kyle McDaniel-at Large
Karl Frisch will be receiving a fast track endorsement due to his significant work over the last 4 years by being a member of the Joint Environmental Taskforce and his work to achieve these JET commitments.
During the interviews, one builds a relationship that will help after that candidate is elected. They will know that the Sierra Club volunteers can provide expertise that a school board member might not have. There are a few of the candidates that are quite knowledgeable about renewable energy, net zero design/construction, HVAC systems and electric school buses but on the whole, this is not their expertise. One of the objectives of these interviews is to demonstrate that we have expertise that school board members can call on and that we can become trusted advisors. We have no financial gain to be made in providing information about best environmental practices so our advice is often valued.
Aside from the breathtaking landscape, I came back from a visit to New Zealand with two takeaways from an environmental perspective: the commitment of New Zealanders to reducing waste and the (negative) impact of their diet on climate.
New Zealanders put a high priority on personal responsibility for reducing waste, second only to reducing poverty. This was reflected in our travels through many hotels, restaurants, and other businesses in various cities. There were no plastic water bottles, straws, utensils, cups or plates - only glasses for drinking water, paper or metal straws, wooden utensils, and ceramic serving ware. Outside every business was a provision to dispose of waste responsibly.
Our tour director mentioned that energy for almost all of New Zealand’s non-transportation uses comes from renewable sources: Hydro (in large part), solar, wind and geothermal sources. They plan to phase out fossil fuels used for transportation with electric vehicles by 2050. But, sadly lacking was their acknowledgement of the impacts of their diet on climate. Rearing sheep for wool was the main economic driving force for settlers. But now, with the demand for wool decreasing because of increased use of synthetic fibers, sheep farms are increasingly being replaced by cattle for beef and dairy, domesticated deer for venison, and vineyards.
The loss of tree canopy over the centuries is evident at the museum in Auckland. While efforts to restore forests are under way, New Zealanders could learn from other cultures how to prepare tasty high-protein plant-based dishes and eat less meat! Likewise, we can learn from them how businesses, government and communities can come together to reduce our waste. We all need the will to act.
The Great Falls Group celebrated its eighth year of cleaning a roadway at Tysons on Earth Day, April 22, when four volunteers gathered to pick up litter on Jones Branch Road, about 1.3 miles long. It was a beautiful morning to clean up and celebrate Mother Earth and her gifts to us, the occupants. Volunteers filled four large bags of debris. Some of the more unusual "finds" were a cell phone and pieces of a car left from a crash at an intersection.
More than 23,000 Virginia volunteers collect about 44,000 bags of trash every year and save taxpayers about $1.35 million in the "Adopt-A-Highway" program sponsored by the Virginia
Department of Transportation which supplies bags, safety vests, signs, and more.
This effort is rewarding in so many ways and it's easy to start a group!
Help clean up our Mother! Exercise! Socialize! Enjoy mental and physical benefits! Check it out for your community!
Thank you, Volunteers!
Image: Patricia Leslie
Volunteering is good for the environment!
We have new opportunities for volunteers in the Sierra Club Great Falls Group. See nine ideas here to find some that are a fit for you. Local volunteering for the environment helps you and your community by:
Cutting down on emissions by traveling close to home
Giving you a sense of belonging in your own community
Opening you socially to more people in your area
Supporting local projects and people
Teaching you more about your community and other
The personal connections you can gain from volunteering locally canopen you up to a wide range of advantages.
Not only will you make new friends but you’ll also be able to develop relationships in the long-term for as long as you live in the area. ways to help
You learn more about what’s going on in your area, like events, groups and clubs, and more.
For the GFG weekly environmental events email, join thelistserv here and select subscribe (or unsubscribe).
The MeetUp group for Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO) is a special activities section of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. The group organizes hikes and other events in Virginia, DC and Maryland. No Sierra Club membership is necessary to participate. SCPRO welcomes all people on a variety of outdoor adventures, nature walks, conservation outings, and exploration of our natural and regional history. Join SCPRO MeetUp here
Power for the People Virginia
Recent posts from Ivy Main's blog on energy-related matters in Virginia.
