Our advocacy team is already hard at work as the 2026 Virginia General Assembly gets underway in Richmond.
Strong Communities
PEC believes that the work of protecting natural resources and the work of building better communities are integral to each other.
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.
Loudoun Quarterly Update – Winter 2026
This quarterly Loudoun Update includes information on opportunities to speak up on a Leesburg data center application, submit comments on transmission line planning, support solar net-metering programs, and raise environmental concerns in the Mountainside Overlay District.
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.
AC44 adopted: PEC’s engagement secures smarter land use planning in Albemarle
Throughout our 50+ year history, PEC has weighed in on comprehensive plan updates across our nine-county service area, an approach that has been foundational to our success conserving and restoring the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont.
Albemarle Comprehensive Plan Adopted!
After four years, 40 PEC action alerts, and many changes to the timeline, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan update (AC44) Wednesday, Oct. 15!
Halloween Costume Bike Promotes Safety on the Roads
Around 30 riders decorated their bikes, dressed up as extra-terrestrials, supernatural beings, cartoons and food items, and enjoyed a November evening of biking around Charlottesville.
Op-Ed: Protect Virginians from paying billions for data center infrastructure
Billions of dollars of new power generation and transmission infrastructure is needed to meet data center demand. As of now, all of Virginia’s ratepayers are on the hook to pay for this through their electric bills.
Videos: Agrivoltaics Project at PEC’s Community Farm
Explore our video updates detailing the exciting progress of the Piedmont Environmental Council’s agrivoltaics project, where solar energy and sustainable agriculture meet.
Report Finds Solar Far Exceeds Value Communicated by Dominion
PEC commissioned Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors to study and calculate the actual value of distributed solar generation in Dominion Energy’s territory.