When talking about our food, we constantly hear terms like ‘organic’, ‘local’, ‘free-range’, and ‘grass-fed.’ These labels are meant to guide consumers’ food purchasing decisions by offering information on the farming methods used to grow or raise food, and the reassurance that food safety risks have been minimized. More often than not, however, I find it difficult to distinguish the plethora of different labels.
Our Work
Safeguarding the landscapes, communities and heritage of the Piedmont by involving citizens in public policy and land conservation. Learn more about our work by browsing the subject areas below and find out how to get involved!
Our Alternative — Rethinking the Bi-County Parkway
Our proposal, detailed in the report Rethinking the Bi-County Parkway, focuses on fixing east-west routes for commuters, it provides lower impact local road fixes and connections to help local residents, it preserves the Rural Crescent and Transition Area, and could allow for the roads to be closed through the Battlefield (although it’s not clear that would ultimately be necessary, due to the reduced traffic that would result from implementing the alternatives we’ve suggested).
What is a Comprehensive Plan, and Why Should We Care?
Six of PEC’s nine counties are in the process of updating their Comprehensive Plans, or will be doing so soon. It can be easy to tune out these updates, but revisions to the ‘Comp Plan’ can mean drastic changes to the look, feel, and functionality of your county, town, and day-to-day life. This is because the Comp Plan is the community’s most important document regarding land use, growth, development, transportation, and resource utilization.
Summer Update on the Outer Beltway
VDOT is pushing to create a new major highway in Northern Virginia referred to (among other names) as the Outer Beltway. PEC’s take? This mega-highway would cut through a National Park, open up over 100,000 acres to residential development, and has the potential to actually increase traffic congestion on I-66 and Rt. 50. The good news is—after years of trying to get more press coverage and citizen engagement on the issue—we may have reached a turning point.
A Season Full of Activity
I hope you’re enjoying the delightfully cool spring. Personally, I’ll take all the cool weather I can get before the dog days of summer hit. Any cicadas in your neck of the woods? We'll see if the cool weather means that Brood 2 Cicadas will persist longer than usual. Check out this wonderful video on the life cycle of these fascinating creatures. This text was taken from an email sent out on June 6th, 2013:
Lyme Disease
In a departure from my normal column on creating habitat, here is some knowledge on ticks ecology and preventative measures from the perspective of an ecologist who spends a lot of time outside. With a little education and forethought, you and your family can better enjoy the outdoors all season long. First – a word of warning: I’m not a health professional by training, so always consult your doctor if you have health concerns.
Virginia Uranium Proponents are Desperate
Just a few short months ago the Virginia General Assembly responded to the will of the people — legislators were forced to withdraw a bill that would have lifted the state-wide ban on Uranium mining. As we said then, this was an important victory, but not the final one. Now as we near the end of Governor McDonnell's term, mining backers are conducting a heavy handed PR campaign. They are hoping to persuade the Governor to act against the will of the General Assembly — pressuring him to draft rules that would lift the decades old ban on uranium mining and milling in Virginia. This text was taken from an email alert sent out on June 4th, 2013.
School Location Matters
Building a new school, like any major construction project, requires a lot of thought and planning. And with that planning comes the need to address the concerns citizens in the nearby area might have about its impacts — traffic, noise and lights, just to name a few. Which is why it's concerning to hear that Loudoun County is considering changes to the Zoning Ordinance that would allow public schools to be built 'By-Right', pretty much anywhere — removing the public's ability to give input. This text was taken from an email alert sent out on May 21st, 2013:
Opposition to the Outer Beltway Picking Up
Over the past two years we’ve been writing (and sometimes jumping up and down) about the McDonnell Administration’s prioritization of the multi-billion dollar DC Outer Beltway project. It’s been difficult, however, to get press coverage or widespread citizen engagement, because the project has seemed remote. But that changed this past December, when VDOT finally put a line on the map.
Since then, citizen opposition to the project has mounted. At the end of April, six legislators from Northern Virginia announced their opposition to the project. This Tuesday, Congressman Wolf sent a letter to Governor McDonnell expressing “serious reservations.” This text is from an email alert sent out on May 16th.
The Problem with the Outer Beltway
The Outer Beltway, and its component parts the Bi-County Parkway and 6-laned Northstar Blvd, is a bad deal for the residents of Prince William and Loudoun County. It’s also a bad deal for people who live in counties and cities to the east and west, as well as Virginia taxpayers as a whole.