The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is working closely with residents and town officials to ensure that future development complements, not destroys, the unique character of Orange.
Orange County
PEC’s Orange County office supports our land use and land conservation activities in the County. PEC is dedicated to promoting healthy communities and the preservation of Orange’s rural character, environment and historic resources.
An Electric Super-Highway Through the Piedmont
Joining the list of new energy and infrastructure proposals across the state to serve sky-rocketing data center demand is a proposal to build the largest transmission line ever seen in Dominion Energy’s territory. Dubbed “Joshua Falls-Yeat,” the 115-mile, 765 kilovolt transmission line would cross as many as nine counties in central Virginia.
Video: “The Hidden Costs of the Cloud: Data Centers and AI in Virginia”
Virginia is undergoing an unprecedented economic, technological, and environmental transformation, all centered around the activities of one industry: data centers.
Winter Orange County Updates
The new year is off to a busy start in Orange County! Read on to learn more about zoning changes related to data centers and agriculture, an opportunity to weigh in on PFAS-contaminated biosolids, and two wins, including the protection of Orange County farmland and a withdrawn gas power plant proposal.
Orange County Residents: Demand Commonsense Data Center Regulation
This coming Tuesday, Dec. 16, the Board of Supervisors is likely to vote on a proposed zoning ordinance that does not go far enough to protect the residents and natural resources of the county. We have serious concerns that the proposed “floating zone” approach will cause land speculation across the county, industrialize agricultural areas, and allow developers to build data centers near parks, schools and homes.
On the Ground Updates — December 2025
A series of short updates from around the PEC region – Albemarle & Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange & Rappahannock.
Orange County Proposes New “Technology” Zoning District
The Orange County Planning Commission is poised to recommend a draft ordinance establishing a Technology zoning district intended to accommodate – and minimize the adverse impacts of – data centers. The county is considering many of the right questions; however, it must also consider some significant unintended consequences of a well-intentioned proposal.
PFAS in Biosolids: Public Hearing Thursday, Oct. 23
Join us at a public hearing this Thursday, Oct. 23 to urge the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which issues the permit, to act to protect farmland, farm families and public health.
Fall Orange County Updates
Fall updates on Wilderness Crossing, proposed changes to the county’s zoning ordinance, an upcoming public hearing on PFAS “forever chemicals”, and a reboot of the Town of Orange’s comprehensive plan.
Piedmont Environmental Council Applauds Court Victory in Lawsuit to Protect Wilderness Battlefield
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) celebrates court rejection of attempts to dismiss a lawsuit against the Wilderness Crossing rezoning proposal in Orange County.