Last November, PEC wrote about the threats posed to Prince William County’s long-standing Rural Crescent by three major land use decisions.
Prince William County
Land use issues in Prince William County have an outsized impact on PEC’s nine-county region, considering its proximity to Fauquier and Loudoun.
Prince William County Considers Land Use Changes That Encourage Sprawl
Prince William County is evaluating three different land use changes that would introduce industrial and residential sprawl into the Rural Crescent, to the detriment of water quality, wildlife habitat, agriculture, historic resources, tourism and the rural atmosphere.
Webinar: Smart Growth Protects What We Have!
On January 6, 2022, Prince William Conservation Alliance hosted a panel discussion on data centers… from the Rural Crescent to the Occoquan Reservoir.
National Parks, Rural Prince William Under Threat
As PEC’s deputy director of land use, I am writing to let you know about several local issues that have both regional and national implications. Put simply, the rural area of Prince William County, also known as the “Rural Crescent,” is under threat. Three different proposals are being considered, each unique in scope, but together represent the urbanization and industrialization of the remaining rural lands in Prince William County.
Rural Crescent Under Threat in Prince William County
Learn about three proposals that could change the character of Prince William County forever.
10/1/15: Update on Warrenton-Wheeler Transmission Line Case
Following a two day evidentiary hearing in Richmond in August 2015 and one final public hearing was held in Warrenton on August 10, 2015, the Warrenton to Wheeler transmission line case is slowly moving towards resolution.
Background on Warrenton-Wheeler-Gainesville
Dominion and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) are pursuing a new 230kV transmission line through Prince William County and Fauquier, stating current or future reliability issues associated with the Warrenton Substation in Fauquier County, and the Wheeler and Gainesville Substations in Prince William County, as the reason for the project.
A Broad List of Opposition to the Outer Beltway
A list of groups who have opposed the Outer Beltway, and a list of elected officials who have publicly opposed or expressed concern.
*this list is a work in progress. If you would like to add your organization or your name to the elected officials list, please contact pec@pecva.org*
Sacrificing History… For What?
Often environmentalists are told that we just 'say no' to things. To which I would argue — saying 'no' to a bad idea is a very important part of what we do. But it's not all we do. At The Piedmont Environmental Council we also strive to put forward constructive alternatives. That's why it's so frustrating to see the Virginia Department of Transportation, led by Sean Connaughton, make mega-projects like the Outer Beltway and Charlottesville Bypass its highest priority. Despite great arguments against both projects — fiscal, environmental, common sense arguments — and plenty of alternatives, VDOT is charging ahead. This text is from an email alert sent out on September 19, 2013:
When Mickey Came to Town
Virginia’s northern Piedmont is a beautiful and vibrant place—boasting of forests, rivers, mountains, farmland, thriving towns, and numerous historic and cultural resources. But all of this came under threat in November 1993, when the The Walt Disney Company made a surprise announcement that they planned to build an American history theme park near what was then the small town of Haymarket, VA—only four miles from Manassas Battlefield.