Please submit comments to the Board of County Supervisors to oppose the Prince William Digital Gateway CPA!
Prince William Board of County Supervisors 1 County Complex Ct. Prince William, VA 22192
The Great Falls Group submitted a letter to the Northern Virginia State and Local Elected Officials:
As many of you know, the proposed Prince William Digital Gateway (PWDG) is a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) in Prince William County to designate over 2,100 acres
for data center development in a currently rural area, directly adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park (Battlefield) and Conway Robinson State Forest. We are writing to alert you that it appears that Prince William County is moving quickly to approve this massive and irreversible proposal despite significant opposition and many unanswered questions. The County’s Planning Commission voted to recommend approval at its September 14th meeting, and the CPA is now on a fast track for approval by county officials. Following the Planning Commission vote, all signs point to a rapid approval by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) as early as mid-October. This proposal is opposed by more than 30 environmental and historic preservation nonprofits, hundreds of community members, the National Park Service and Virginia Department of Forestry, and dozens of regional Homeowner Associations.
Watershed Cleanup Day at Scott's Run Nature Preserve
WHEN: Saturday, October 29; 9-11 AM WHERE:Scott's Run Nature Preserve, 7400 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA
(Meet at the lower parking lot at the intersection between Georgetown Pike & Swinks Mill Road.)
Description: Join the Sierra Club Great Falls Group for a Cleanup event at Scott's Run Nature Preserve in Mclean, VA. Scott's Run is an ecologically and globally unique preserve and home to remarkable plants and wildlife. Family and friends are welcome. Volunteers under 16 years old must volunteer with a parent/guardian. Duties: Depending on turnout, we typically break into cleanup groups and each group covers a different section of the park. Gloves, trash bags, and trail maps are provided. We recommend bug spray, water, and good outdoor hiking shoes/boots. Bring your own work gloves if you would like. Volunteers must stay on trail. Purpose:
Scott's Run is a nature preserve located on Georgetown Pike. It is a beautiful park and ecologically unique, however, in recent years it has become a misused park. Join our Stewardship Initiative and help keep Scott's Run beautiful and clean while preserving its natural resources for generations to come. Benefits:
Enjoy a day outdoors while making a difference. CONTACT: Evelina Hobson, evelina.hobson@gmail.com. RSVP SPONSOR: The Great Fall Group's Zero Waste Initiative
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.
Solar Panels at Lorton Landfill
On September 13th, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a lease of a closed landfill at Lorton to SunTribe. SunTribe will install solar panels on the landfill and the County will receive credit for the energy generated. This type of arrangement is called a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). It allows the government to buy energy just as they currently purchase electricity from Dominion Energy using operating funds rather than making a capital fund investment.
While this all sounds like a great way to use a closed landfill, the effort to get the right to do this was hard fought by Fairfax County and by the Sierra Club. Prior to legislation passed in the 2021 General Assembly, locations that didn’t have a use for the electricity immediately at the site, couldn’t install a system. There are no buildings near the Lorton landfill. The legislation passed allows Fairfax County to accrue virtual electricity credits that can be applied to the bills of county buildings. Note that the legislation applies only to Fairfax County. Let’s hope that this breaks the dam and other jurisdictions can get similar legislation passed.
The Great Falls Group is sharing information about two ways members can volunteer for both the schools and the environment.
If you want to work with your local county or city jurisdiction and keep track of their commitments and efforts on the way to all-electric school buses and other vehicles, join a check in call with the Sierra Club Electric Vehicle (EV) Work Group. Contact cheri.conca@sierraclub.org to get the call info, twice monthly on the first and third Tuesdays at noon. EV knowledge is helpful but not required. Volunteer members of the Work Group will provide assistance as needed.
Sierra Club Solar on Schools needs your help to advocate for solar power for school buildings. If you are a Fairfax County resident, reach out to your school board member and to the at-large school board members to urge them to support the deployment of solar on our schools.
You can find the email for school board members here:https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-members. Additionally, there are students who want to provide testimony at school board meetings in support of solar deployment. If you are interested in this effort, please reach out to stillman.susan@gmail.com.
Caption: 2016 JMHS students with the original idea to lobby the FCPS Board to put solar on schools. Joyce Cheng, Sam Ressin and Casey Grage.
Ivy Main, Renewable Energy Chair for Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter
Virginia Chapter
Karen Campblin and Douglas Stewart Receive Environmental Alliance Award
Announced September 21, 2022, the Environmental Alliance Award honors Sierra Club volunteers who have helped further environmental goals through collaboration with other, non-Sierra Club constituencies. As co-chairs of the Virginia Chapter’s Transportation and Smart Growth Committee, Karen Campblin and Douglas Stewart have brought people from various organizations together to advocate for solutions to the difficult transportation issues facing Northern Virginia.
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 either Ralph Grove (ralph.grove@gmail.com) or Kate West (kate.west@sierraclub.org). These positions are open to all Sierra Club members.
