Sustainability Plan - A roadmap to where?

 

Creating a Sustainability Office and Commission acknowledged the increasing environmental challenges we are facing in Prince William County. Their role in identifying a path forward could support the quality of life for all PW residents, now and in the future. Touted as a roadmap for the county to meet Climate Mitigation and Resiliency goals, the draft Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan (CESMP) document unfortunately falls short. While streamlining rooftop solar in residential areas and reforestation programs (read our comments in support here) are important, it is not sufficient. Any headway we make will be negated if we do not address Data Center proliferation and land use planning that promotes sprawl rather than smart growth.

Rooting for PWC - In support of the Reforestation Grant Program

 

I’m here today to express support for the Public Works Reforestation Grant Program to be included in the upcoming budget. As we are all aware, we are facing several environmental challenges, such as climate change, maintaining water quality, and habitat loss leaving many species vulnerable. However, reforestation can help us address all these issues. 

Forests provide critical environmental services to all residents here in Prince William County. They absorb carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas in the atmosphere contributing to climate change. They clean the air by intercepting particulate matter and absorbing other gaseous pollutants. Additionally, trees help prevent soil erosion and promote water quality. They also provide habitats for various wildlife species, making them an integral part of our ecosystem.

Unfortunately, over the years, we have been losing forests at an alarming rate due to human activities such as deforestation and urbanization. This has had a significant impact on the environment globally and locally. 

While I think it’s also important to protect the forests that we still have, this program would create opportunities to bring back forests that have been lost. Additionally, it would expand current reforestation efforts and provide an opportunity for private, residential, commercial, industrial, and HOA land to qualify that are currently left out of existing programs.

You might think that it’s not necessary to fund such initiatives. You might think, why don’t we just stop mowing and allow natural processes to return lawn to forest? That may have been true a long time ago. Today, however, the prevalence of invasive plant species that thrive in these early successional circumstances means it’s necessary to be active stewards of reforestation efforts until a native ecosystem has a chance to be established. 

This program would provide a critical starting point for native forests to grow and flourish, and would be crucial to a broader strategy to address a wide range of environmental and public health concerns in a cost-effective way. By planting more trees, we can support efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve air quality, protect water quality in our waterways and reservoirs, and create habitat for wildlife. 

Nokesville results: 123rd annual Christmas Bird Count

Lows of 25 °F surely made this year's 123rd annual Christmas Birrrrd Count a cold one. It didn't deter our 24 birders that spent the morning participating in the longest-running citizen science project. Nine teams surveyed the Nokesville circle and identified 80 species, just topping last year's number of 79. >>see results here

Highlights of the December 27th, Nokesville Christmas Bird Count include a Common Loon seen in Quantico and 32 Redheads, which is a count high. Corvids were quite conspicuous with both American Crow and Fish Crow reaching a high for our circle at 491 and 934 respectively. We also saw a few lows for our count including Black Vulture, Red-winged Blackbird, and White-crowned Sparrow. 

Pathway to 2040: Comprehensive Plan

By: Court Squires

The Pathway to 2040: Comprehensive Plan passed, 5-2, undeterred by constituent concerns. Concerned voices rose up against the lengthy 20-year blueprint for future residential and commercial development. However, the plan was rushed through in December, and PW residents are left wondering what will befall them in the next 20 years.

Perhaps the most concerning part of the process was that despite constituent weigh-in, the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) bulldozed over worries and pushed through a development-heavy comprehensive plan. Various inquiries were not thoroughly answered before hastily approving the plan, such as ‘How will higher density truly impact our way of life and environment?,’ ‘Who will pay for all additional infrastructure needed to sustain proposed commercial and residential developments?,’ and ‘When will we, if ever, financially benefit from the myriad development plans proposed for the next 20 years?’

More Data Centers next to National Parks: Our comments on Potomac Technology Park

By Ashley Studholme The following are our comments to the Board of County Supervisors
regarding the REZ2022-00015 and SUP2022-00016 for Potomac Technology Park.

We strongly recommend the denial of this rezoning and accompanying special use permit. If approval is considered, substantial modifications are needed to ensure adequate protection of the natural resources iconic to the area, namely Prince William Forest Park (PWFP) and Quantico Creek. 

Building a better future: Oct 24 Newsletter

Community Report, Oct 24 2022; read online here. You make our work possible! Donate today Remembering the Past and Building the Future Saturday, October 29th, 4-6 p.m. Brawner Farm Parking Lot | Register here Join us on October 29 from 3-5 pm at Brawner Farm to hear how our journey towards a more perfect union starts in Pageland. Speakers include Jim Bailey, Chief of Interpretation at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Nathan Grayson, a descendant of the Settlement community, and Frank Washington, spokesperson for Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare. Together we begin our journey with the Civil War, then on to The Settlement, Thoroughfare, and Pageland, weaving together the complicated tapestry that is the fabric of America and highlighting current threats that aim to unravel it. >>Read more here N. Va. Coalition Files Suit Against Prince William County and Developer Over Desecration of Historic Virginia African-American and Native American Cemetery (THOROUGHFARE, VA, 10/10/22) – The Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare has filed a lawsuit against International Investments, LLC (IIL), Virginia’s Prince William County, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and County Executive Elijah Johnson “for their deliberate and egregious actions in the failure to protect and eventual desecration of a private, historically recognized, protected, and culturally significant cemetery belonging to the families of freed slaves and indigenous Native Americans – the Scott Cemetery.” NOTE: International Investments, LLC is also known as “The Farm Brewery at Broad Run.”  >>Read full press release Watch our program on Thoroughfare Dove's Landing - conservation easement update On October 11th, the Board of County Supervisors unanimously approved Dove's Landing Master Plan. They also unanimously supported a resolution directing staff to move forward with a conservation easement to permanently protect this great natural area that covers one mile of Occoquan River shoreline. >>view the resolution here While this is an important step in the right direction, we are disappointed the conservation easement was not part of the Resolution approving the Master Plan, and required separate action. Supervisor Yesli Vega asked Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (DPRT) Director Seth Hendler-Voss why this was the case, to which he replied that it was a policy decision he made citing that the Master Plan was as a framework, and a conservation easement could be added after plan approval.  Once the conservation deed is drafted, it will return to the Board for a final vote. Protecting Dove's Landing has been one of our priorities for over 10 years. Now we have an opportunity to ensure it remains a high-quality natural resource for future generations.  >>Read more here Virginia Outdoor Podcast with host Jessica Bowser This local podcast is back with season 3! Virginia is a mecca for outdoor travel and adventure. Virginia Outdoor Adventures Podcast brings listeners stories and recommendations from leaders and influencers across the Virginia outdoor community. Get the information and the inspiration to plan your own adventure, right here in Virginia.  Check out www.virginiaoutdooradventures.com to learn more and listen to episodes. In the news: County moves to expand, improve Doves Landing Park to be placed in a conservation easement Cher Muzyk, Prince William Times, Oct 20, 2022 The supervisors also agreed to pursue a conservation easement to protect the park, a move urged by the Prince William Conservation Alliance as well as several residents. Prince William County supervisors approve conceptual master plan for Doves Landing Nolan Stout, InSide NoVA, Oct 17, 2022 Many speakers also urged the board to place a conservation easement on the land, which would prohibit any future development. The board supported the easement. Final PW Digital Gateway Hearing Set for Nov. 1 Nolan Stout, InsideNoVA, Oct 20, 2022 [The PW Digital Gateway] ...has quickly become the most controversial and contentious local land-use proposal in decades. Prince William County Historical Commission urges denial of ‘digital gateway’ plan Jill Palermo, Prince William Times, Oct 12, 2022 These areas include land within the Manassas Battlefield Historic District as well as the birthplace and gravesite of Jennie Dean, a local icon who was born into slavery and later founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth, Northern Virginia’s first high school for African American students. 12 Conservation Groups Request Prince William Supervisors Send Digital Gateway Plan Back to Planning Commission Stacy Shaw, Bristow Beat, Oct 19, 2022 Conservation groups believe the new proposal is more detrimental to the Manassas Battlefield and environment as it offers less open land, parkland, tree buffers, and historical preservation areas.

N. Va. Coalition Files Suit Against Prince William County and Developer Over Desecration of Historic Virginia African-American and Native American Cemetery

 Courtesy of Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare

(THOROUGHFARE, VA, 10/10/22) – The Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare has filed a lawsuit against International Investments, LLC (IIL), Virginia’s Prince William County, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and County Executive Elijah Johnson “for their deliberate and egregious actions in the failure to protect and eventual desecration of a private, historically recognized, protected, and culturally significant cemetery belonging to the families of freed slaves and indigenous Native Americans – the Scott Cemetery.” NOTE: International Investments, LLC is also known as “The Farm Brewery at Broad Run.”