November 8 Public Hearing onPrince WilliamDigital Gateway!
Please Voice Your Concerns before the Prince William Planning Commission
The Planning Commission has scheduled the public hearing for the 3 Rezonings (REZ2022-00032, REZ2022-00033, REZ2022-00036) that make up the Digital Gateway for November 8th at 2:00 p.m. at the
Cartoon by Noah Regan
JAMES J. MCCOART ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 1 COUNTY COMPLEX COURT,
WOODBRIDGE, VA 22192
On October 4th, we shared our concerns about the lack of attention to energy demand and water quantity concerns, as well as the deleterious impacts to Manassas National Battlefield Park, just across the street from this proposed massive development. For two years, we have been asking the Planning Commission and Board of County Supervisors to make changes and address these issues, and they have refused. Your voice is more important than ever before it is too late!
Prince William County planning staff says supervisors should reject entire PW Digital Gateway data center corridor
Reprinted from Prince William Times
By Peter Cary and Jill Palermo
Oct. 27, 2023
Citing a lack of information and numerous unanswered questions, Prince William County’s professional planning staff is recommending denial on the Prince William Digital Gateway —
one of the largest and most controversial commercial projects to come before the board of supervisors in decades.
Mary Reiley, who lives near the Manassas battlefield, speaks during a protest of the Prince William Digital Gateway held Tuesday, April 25 outside a Compass open house in Gainesville. By Peter Cary
Letter from Sierra Club Great Falls Group
Prince William County Planning Commission
Board of County Supervisors
Sustainability Commission
The Need for Strong Guidelines for Data Centers
& Comments on Digital Gateway
(REZ2022-00032, REZ2022-00033, REZ2022-00036)
October 4, 2023
Dear Members of the Board of County Supervisors, Planning Commission & Sustainability Commission,
We write to you to share our deep concerns about the accelerated growth of the data center industry and its impact on the climate crisis we see unfolding before us. We believe local government must play a larger role in solving the problems that the current scale of approvals for data centers pose for the region. It is imperative that zoning and planning policies are poised to mitigate impacts at the source, and that ratepayers and taxpayers do not shoulder the burden for climate mitigation. For instance, the proposed massive build out of data centers in Prince William County including the Digital Gateway (REZ2022-00032, REZ2022-00033, REZ2022-00036) requires stringent, binding and state-of-the-art requirements for building energy efficiency, a significant commitment to renewable energy, sustainable water, pollution and land use policies and more natural resources protections.
Solar on the Farm: Improving Your Ag Operation with On Site Energy
Learn about sources of funding for small-scale solar on working farms.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 14 · 9:30am - 2:30pm EST
WHERE: Kildee Farms, 19295 Batna Road Culpeper, VA 22701
DESCRIPTION: Are you a farm business owner looking to save energy costs and increase independence through solar, battery backup and energy efficiency? Join Piedmont Environmental Council on Nov. 14 to learn how to take advantage of a host of financial incentives and hear from other farm businesses who have already made the switch. More Information and registration
Gain the knowledge to help your farm or rural business take advantage of available opportunities and incentives, including USDA's REAP program, Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and Renewable Energy Certificates, and examine the potential financial and practical benefits of installing behind-the-meter solar at your operation.
Speakers will include Piedmont Environmental Council, Tiger Solar, Solar United Neighbors, and Sun Tribe as well as Clifton Farm and Powers Brewery, two working farm businesses that use solar for their operations.
*Lunch and refreshments will be provided (including vegetarian options).
Please note: This workshop is not intended for landowners interested in utility-scale solar. It is focused on small-scale solar that can be integrated into the existing agricultural operation and help supplement the on-site energy needs of the farm.
Accotink Creek Water Way Clean Up 2023
The Great Falls Group Zero Waste team participated in water way clean up along the Accotink Creek. There were five cleanup activities, about 13 hours of work, Jan 16, 21, and June 11,16, 17. The main accomplishment was the mud bottom of an entire pond at Lake Accotink Park got cleaned; numerous bottles, bags, cans, shoes, tires, chairs, pipes, and other trash, were pulled out of the mud and filled 9 bags.
Electric School Buses for Fairfax County Public Schools
Robin Olsen of the Sierra Club Great Falls Group has been partnering with other local advocates to continue to learn about and encourage more electric school buses for Fairfax County Public Schools. On a recent visit, Robin was able to see the strides that the county is making in this area, with 28 electric school buses in operation.
Electric School buses for Fairfax County
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 ways to help.
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. 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.
