Regional, State and National

PEC joins with partner organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground corridor and Northern Virginia counties. This includes work through the Virginia Conservation Network and our Coalition for Smarter Growth.

If you have any questions related to PEC’s regional, state and national policy work, or would like to partner with us, please reach out to John McCarthy at [email protected] or (540) 347-2334 x7043.

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large boxy data center with cooling equipment on the roof

Tell Congress: Support the Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act

The human and environmental costs of the data center industry are only predicted to worsen with the rise of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence applications. That’s why we’re supporting a new congressional bill, the Artificial Intelligence …
beautiful forested landscape with blue mountains on horizon

6,315 acres conserved in nine-county region last year

The Piedmont Environmental Council reports that in 2023, 6,315 acres of land in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties were permanently protected with 52 new conservation easements …
Bills and Budget Amendments Post-Crossover

Bills and Budget Amendments Post-Crossover

Now at crossover, some notable progress has been made on a few key priorities of the environmental community …
| | General Assembly
Data Center Legislation in the 2024 Virginia General Assembly

Data Center Legislation in the 2024 Virginia General Assembly

Numerous pieces of legislation related to data center reform were introduced as part of the 2024 Virginia General Assembly Session. Unfortunately, the majority of the bills were defeated or carried over to the 2025 Virginia …
Three Advocacy Priorities That Need Your Attention

Three Advocacy Priorities That Need Your Attention

Since the General Assembly began its 2024 session, the newly-opened General Assembly office building and the Capitol have seen frenetic activity, day in and day out. Many bills that were introduced in January have now …
Representatives from several groups joined together at PEC’s o  ce on July 27 to kick o  a statewide data center reform coalition. Photo by Hugh Kenny

Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition

This growing coalition is made up of more than 25 environmental, conservation, historic preservation, and climate advocacy groups, as well as representatives of communities and neighborhoods across the state of Virginia. Together, we are urging …
| | Data Centers, General Assembly
aerial view of a General Assembly chamber

2024 General Assembly Begins

As you’ve probably noticed from an uptick in news out of Richmond, the Virginia General Assembly kicked off this Wednesday, Jan. 10.  …