Chair Wheeler recently announced that the Board of County Supervisors would be voting on the controversial Digital Gateway Data Center project on November 21st, the week of Thanksgiving. This proposal to develop 2,100 rural acres directly adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park for a massive 27.6 million square feet of data center buildings.
Pageland Lane Digital Gateway
Source: Coalition to Protect Prince William County
The Digital Gateway will drive mind boggling increases in energy demand and new and expanded transmission lines in Virginia. State and local policy makers have adopted tax and budgetary policies that have encouraged and accelerated the growth of the data center industry and localities are rushing to site them. One can draw a line between that investment, energy demand challenges and increases in carbon emissions (especially in Loudoun and Prince William Counties). Unfortunately, localities and the state are not ready to answer basic questions about how to meet the demand for energy to power them, especially with clean energy.
Statements by the Youngkin administration and Dominion's recent planning documents submitted to the State Corporation Commission suggest that coal, natural gas and nuclear power will be utilized to meet the demand. Dominion Power’s own planning documents state that emissions will double by 2048, an ominous prediction. This backwards approach undermines state carbon reduction goals under the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
And who will bear the cost of this infrastructure? Virginia ratepayers.
Prince William County's goal of 50% GHG reductions compared to 2005 levels by 2030 cannot be taken seriously if the Digital Gateway is powered by dirty fuels. And not surprisingly, powering data centers is barely addressed in its draft Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan. (see below).
Prince William County Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan
The draft CESMP is now available for public comment until Sept 15. You can find the draft and feedback form below.
A virtual townhall will be held on Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 6:30pm to seek public input on the draft CESMP. Please register by September 12 to participate.
Ride a DC area bus to the NYC March to End Fossil Fuels
WHEN: Sunday, September 17, 6 AM-11 PM
WHERE: New York City
DETAILS: March with a coalition of over 1,200 groups pressuring President Biden to declare a climate emergency and stop the federal approval of all new fossil fuel projects. RSVP to get the departure location. As the #1 oil and gas producer in the world, the US is a primary culprit in perpetuating the climate crisis. But it doesn’t have to be this way. President Biden has the power to drastically change the course of the climate crisis and begin to end the era of fossil fuels. Instead of doing what he promised, he has rubber-stamped one new oil and gas project after another.
REGISTER for the DC Bus Here and for the March here to attend and/or to help organize.
VA Waterway Cleanup at Accotink Creek at Braddock Road Bridge
WHEN: Saturday, September 23; 9-11 AM
WHERE: 8100 Braddock Rd Parking, Wakefield Park, Annandale, VA
Driving directions: From I-495 take Exit 54 onto Braddock Road (620) west, take first right into Wakefield Park (Audrey Moore Rec Center), turn left into the ballfield parking lot, look for the table by the Friends of Accotink Creek.
DETAILS: The Great Falls Group will join Friends of Accotink Creek to get trash out of our waterways while participating in the 2023 International Coastal Cleanup in Fairfax County. Bags will be provided, but please bring your own gloves, barrel, tongs or hooks to reduce using single-use supplies. Tall rain boots would be useful. Please sign up at the Friends of Accotink Creek event site so they can prepare sufficient supplies.
SPONSOR: Nissan, Wells Fargo, Edison International. Presented by: Plug In America, Electric Vehicle Association, Sierra Club, EVHybridNoire, Electric Vehicle Association
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.
