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 jmccarthy@pecva.org or (540) 347-2334 x7043.

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photo of cell tower with forests and mountains in background

SB 255: A Sweetheart Deal for Big Telecom

If passed, Senate Bill 255 would effectively prevent localities from denying cell tower proposals under 150 feet in height, making it extremely difficult to protect important cultural, scenic and environmental resources …
image of a green lawn with a large white building

Eyes Turn Toward Richmond: What To Expect This Session

Beyond the biennial budget bill, where PEC plans to help lead the charge for increased and dedicated funding for natural resource preservation, there are a few key issue areas we’ll be watching closely over the …
landscape image of water and fall foliage at the Occoquan Reservoir

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 …
a map that show the Wilderness Crossing site in red, with at least seven former mine sites denote with pick axe symbols

Shocking news about historic gold mining contamination

Last fall, PEC learned some important new information related to the gold mining legacy at the proposed site of the Wilderness Crossing residential development: of the five formally-named gold mines located on the property, none …
two young people sitting on rocks looking at a valley of blue mountains during the summertime

Planning for the Future

We have accomplished a lot together over the 50 years of PEC’s history. With 2022 on the horizon, we have begun work on an updated strategic plan to guide our efforts in the coming years …
aerial image of forested land next to a major road

Wilderness Crossing: New Residential Development or Potential Superfund Site?

In November 2021, PEC learned that of the five formally-named gold mine sites located on the proposed Wilderness Crossing residential development, none of them have been closed and cleaned up – a process called “reclamation.” …
2022 General Assembly Preview

2022 General Assembly Preview

The results of November’s general election means that Virginia will head into the 2022 General Assembly session with interesting challenges and opportunities across the levers of state government …
aerial view of an open-face dirt hills of an open pit gold mining, with green/brown tinted retention ponds and construction vehicles.

Metal mining in Virginia risks public and environmental health

Gold mining historically occurred throughout Virginia in the gold-pyrite belt, including substantial operations across the PEC region in Orange, Culpeper and Fauquier counties. Now, half a century since metals were last mined commercially, the threat …
sprawl cartoon

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 …