Cinder Bed Road Bikeway Project: Why We Oppose Segment 6

Blog updated: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 The big picture Given the worsening climate crisis, we must take every action we can to reduce carbon emissions, capture carbon emissions, and plan development in urban areas with an eye toward both climate resiliency and sustainability. At Nature Forward, those approaches, along with… Continue reading

A decision on Bles Park is only days away: Your voice is urgently needed!

All photos above are from Bles Park and courtesy of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Michael Myers.Main photo: Milkweed and main pond at Bles Park. Photos along bottom row: blue-headed vireo, muskrat, great egret, wood duck, solitary sandpiper. 1/21/22 UPDATE from Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy  We thank Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) and all… Continue reading

Introducing: Ward 8 Water Watchers at Oxon Run!

Thanks to a Community Stormwater Solutions grant from the DC Department of Energy and Environment and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, last year ANS began a new partnership with food justice and community wellness experts, The Green Scheme and DC Greens. This partnership created the Ward 8 Water Watchers, a coalition… Continue reading

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Weakens Drinking Water Protection

Chris Koerner testifies in favor of stronger drinking water protections during the June 22, 2021 Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on Agritourism Protections in Fairfax County’s “Residential-Conservation” zoned areas around the Occoquan Reservior were weakened on June 22 when the Board of Supervisors voted 7-2 in favor of by-right agritourism… Continue reading

Help us say “no” degrading Fairfax County’s drinking water!

Photo from the Montgomery planning office via the American Planning Association. UPDATE AS OF JUNE 23, 2021 We are incredibly disappointed to report that protections in Fairfax County’s “Residential-Conservation” zoned areas around the Occoquan Reservior were weakened on June 22 when the Board of Supervisors voted 7-2 in favor of… Continue reading

Take Action: Tell DC Mayor Bowser to Get Plastic Bottles Out of Our Water!

Plastic bottles are everywhere. They’re strewn across the streets of our neighborhoods, filling up gutters and alleyways. They’re all over the city’s parks and green spaces, and make it difficult to enjoy nature. Perhaps most visibly, they fill up our waterways, the end point for a large portion of litter.… Continue reading

ANS submits comments on VA’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area amendments

During the 2020 General Assembly, a bill was passed which directed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s State Water Control Board (the Board) to develop and adopt amended regulations applying to Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas (CBPA). The new regulations were meant to assist locales across the state in regulating the… Continue reading

Troubled Waters

In my last post, we explored Washington DC’s sewer system history and what plans DC Water has for sewer restoration. In this post, let’s look a little deeper at a few of our sites with high “dry day” bacteria levels and what might be the causes of those spikes. As… Continue reading

Healthier Streams for Healthier Communities

Our world is interconnected. Our health is directly related to the health of the world around us. Humans are 60% water and the health of our water has a direct impact on our own health. The Embark Richmond Highway redevelopment presents an opportunity to protect and restore our environment while… Continue reading

A Tale of Two Sewer Systems in Washington DC

Since my last post we’ve been able continue the DC Water Quality Monitoring Program with volunteers! I had also briefly explained the differences between a combined sewer system (CSS) and a separate sewer system (MS4) and how they can both contribute bacteria to our waterways in that post. But how… Continue reading