Your Voice is Needed Now to Oppose the Digital Gateway in Prince William County!
On November 1st, the Prince William County Board of County Prince William County Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the Digital Gateway, a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) to allow a massive 27 million square feet of data centers adjacent to a national park, a state forest and the drainage basin for much of Northern Virginia’s drinking water! More than 2,100 acres of farmland are slated to become data centers and higher density development, creating new sprawl and the expansion of the rural road to a major byway.
The Supervisors will vote in the days following the November 1 hearing. Contact your local Supervisor and Chair Ann Wheeler as soon as possible to oppose this terrible land use change!
Maintain the down planned area of the Rural Crescent
Avoid increased 1970’s style urban sprawl
Protect the interpretive viewshed at Manassas National Battlefield Park
Protect Conway Robinson State Forest
And, it will:
Permit the construction of a new, major highway adjacent to the national park
Increase climate emissions due to the huge energy needs of the data center sector
Increase nonpoint source pollution, impervious surface and sedimentation
Increase data center noise pollution 24/7
Join the Sierra Club and over 30 national, state and local environmental, historic and park preservation organizations in opposition to this CPA. Even the Board of County Supervisors’ own environmental and archeology staff and Historical Commission has recommended that the Digital Gateway project be rejected.
On October 22 the Sierra Club Great Falls Group and Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) led a mock Funeral for the Land to honor land that may soon be destroyed to build data centers. The data centers would abut a national park and a state forest in Prince William County. Those gathered memorialized what will be lost if the Digital Gateway proposal for 27 million square feet of industrial development is approved by the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors.
Sadly, the local government is not willing to protect the rural land and Manassas Battlefield National Park. Rev. Jean Wright led a prayer and reminded us of the many reasons we should value nature. A funeral procession then headed up Pageland Lane, now proposed to become a highway, and through the park. Data centers here would have a devastating impact on the region’s drinking water and the environmental, historic, and economic future of the battlefield and the surrounding "rural crescent" will be grim. This narrow vision to build data centers is an impending threat to the land along Pageland Lane and Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Call Voters with Sierra Club Independent Action Nov. 1 - 8!
If you’re passionate about climate change and environmental justice and want to make a difference in the 2022 midterm elections, join us to increase the turn-out of environmental voters in close elections.
Polling this summer found that one-third of environment-first voters were planning to sit-out the 2022 midterms.[1] That means that our conversations with other environmental voters who might not vote, can make a real difference in the outcome of close state races we’re working in.
There’s too much at stake in this year's midterms to sit out this election -- from the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, the judicial branch’s independence, and judges’ appointments are all on the ballot.
Join the NoVa Environmental Events announcement email list from the Great Falls Group
Join this weekly email distribution for reminders and announcements of upcoming Great Falls Group environmental events. You will also get news of other environmental activities from other groups. Only one email is sent each week. Join at our listserv and select subscribe (or unsubscribe). See examples of all the past email announcements at the Great Falls News List.
Resilience and Sustainability Resolution for All to Thrive in Loudoun County
The Climate Emergency Declaration was initiated by Natalie Pien and Loudoun Climate Project in early 2021. Members of the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition, including Piedmont Environmental Council, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, and the Native Plant Society Piedmont Branch, collaborated to revise the Declaration into the current Resilience and Sustainability Resolution for All to Thrive in Loudoun County. The Resolution is housed in the Loudoun Climate Project website, https://loudounclimate.org/ , Resolution tab. Over 20 non-profit organizations have signed on to the Resolution, including Sierra Club Great Falls Group. The organizations collectively have over 2,000 Loudoun resident members.
Contact your Loudoun County Supervisor and Planning Commissioner to let him/her know that you support the Resilience and Sustainability Resolution for All to Thrive in Loudoun County and seek their support.
WHERE: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA
DETAILS: Internationally-acclaimed concert artists and activist virtuosos, Christoph Wagner, cellist, and Joanne Kong, pianist, will weave together music, reflections, and imagery in an inspiring event illuminating how embracing the connections we have to the natural world and all beings can bring about transformative spiritual growth, positive change, and planetary healing. This unique event will include beautiful music by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, and others--plus selections from Saint-Saëns’ delightful Carnival of the Animals.
The program will be followed by a free plant-based supper, with favorite foods from several ethnic and cultural traditions (such as Indian, African, Mexican, Thai, and soul food among others), discussion, and meet & greet with our wonderful guest artists. In addition to being live in the Sanctuary, the program will be live-streamed here.
SPONSORS: Act for Climate Today!, Faith Alliance For Climate Solutions, and the UU Animal Ministry.
Free Home Efficiency Kits and Hands-On Demonstrations
WHEN: Thursday, November 17; 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
WHERE: Herndon Fortnightly Library, 768 Center Street, Herndon, VA
DETAILS: Join the Fairfax County HomeWise program as volunteers give away free home efficiency kits. Each kit contains energy efficient LED lightbulbs, low-flow faucet aerators, socket sealers for outlets and switch plates, weather stripping for windows and doors, and more. Learn how to use each of the items included in the kit with hands-on demonstrations, and talk with volunteers about your questions and concerns around home energy and water efficiency or conservation. Save significant money each year by paying attention to the little things around your home; reduce your monthly utility bills. The first 100 event attendees get a free home efficiency kit.
Ivy Main, Renewable Energy Chair for Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter
Virginia Chapter
SC Virginia Chapter Is in Search of Two New Chairs!
Are you looking for a way to contribute to the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter but aren’t sure what to do? Our Virginia Chapter is looking for two new leaders: theMembership Chair and the Fundraising Chair.
The Chapter Membership Chair works with the membership chairs of the individual groups to share ideas and plan strategies for recruiting new members. The Fundraising Chair works with staff and other volunteers to help plan and coordinate fundraising campaigns and events.
These are two very important positions in the leadership of our chapter that we would like to fill as soon as possible. If you might be interested in volunteering as Membership or Fundraising Chair, please contact Ralph Grove (ralph.grove@gmail.com). These positions are open to all Sierra Club members.
