Tell Fairfax County that Route 1 must be safer to walk and bike!

May 2022: Route 1 in Fairfax County during rush hour (Photo courtesy of Renee Grebe) Take the survey before Tuesday, May 31, 2022 Before the comment period ends on May 31, we’re looking to get as many people as possible to complete Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s (FCDOT) Route 1… Continue reading

Environmental Advocates Release “Best Smart Growth Plan” for American Legion Bridge and Capital Beltway

houses near to body of water

Sustainable, Equitable, and Effective  Today, in advance of pending decisions in Virginia and Maryland, leading environmental  organizations released a “Best Smart Growth Plan” for the American Legion Bridge and Capital  Beltway. The document reviews the current situation and summarizes the consensus  recommendations of the groups.  Citing the rush by Governor… Continue reading

ACT NOW! Send your comments on the Beltway (I-495/I-270) Managed Lanes Draft Environmental Impact Statement!

**11/9/20 UPDATE: Sierra Club, Rock Creek, ANS and 50 groups released our final 200 pages of technical and legal comments today, the final day of the 120-day public comment period for the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)! Find a full copy of our comments here and the press statement… Continue reading

Priority Campaign Area: Climate Crisis

This is one in a series introducing ANS’ new Conservation Advocacy Priority Campaign Areas. We will work to combat greenhouse gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide, by advocating for solutions in our region’s biggest contributing sectors: transportation, electricity, and buildings. We will work to promote public transit and other lower-carbon transportation… Continue reading

ANS submits comments on VDOT designs for Fairfax County’s Route 1 corridor

Last week, ANS submitted a written comments in regards to VDOT’s proposed designs for widening Route 1 between Jeff Todd Way and Sherwood Hall Lane in Fairfax County. As planning continues on the redevelopment of the Route 1 corridor as part of the broader Embark project, ANS is focusing on… Continue reading

MD General Assembly Update: A Win for Forests and other news!

More Protection for Forests! It’s finally happened: after three years of pushing, we got two Forest Conservation bills passed in the Maryland General Assembly! HB272/SB234, the In-Lieu-Fee Mitigation Bill, passed both houses a few weeks ago, and on the night of April 2nd, HB735, the Forest Study Bill, passed the… Continue reading

Release: ANS to testify before the Maryland legislature on Beltway Expansion; Lobby on Forest Conservation

Gov. Hogan’s Beltway Expansion, Climate Change and Destruction of Trees on ANS’s MD Legislature Agenda Tomorrow ANS, its Partners, and Fellow Coalition Members Urge Support of Several Bills to Mitigate Harms from Highway Expansion and Destruction of State Forests  For Immediate Release – February 26, 2019 For more information, contact Caroline Brewer,… Continue reading

EMBARK: Paving A Way Towards Better Stormwater Practices?

When visualizing a road widening project, it’s normal for some of us to shudder at the thought of more paved surfaces, fewer trees and the associated costs to a healthy environment for people and wildlife. But sometimes, there can be success in a place where one assumes failure. EMBARK is a multi-faceted project… Continue reading

Action Alert: Outer Beltway Bridge Threatens our Drinking Water Supply – UPDATE!

From Elyzabeth Earnley, ANS Member and Volunteer ********************UPDATE.  Victory! On December 20, 2017, the regional Transportation Planning Board resoundingly voted in support of five initiatives to address long-term regional transportation needs: The outer beltway, including a new Potomac bridge crossing, was NOT one of the initiatives advanced. The five initiatives… Continue reading

Conservation Policy & Advocacy News Around the Region: Winter 2017 edition

Maryland More Trees Please!: Maryland’s Forest Conservation Act is a wonderful law, but it has some pretty big loopholes that mean that when developers cut down trees in big tracts of intact forests, sometimes they only have to replant back ¼ as many as were lost (or less!). ANS will… Continue reading