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

Speak up for bold action with Resilient Fairfax!

Fairfax County staff have been developing the Resilient Fairfax Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan to help Fairfax County become more resilient to changing conditions and climate change-related hazards such as extreme heat, severe storms, and flooding. The draft plan is now available for review and public comment through Wednesday, June… Continue reading

ANS testifies on FY23 DC Environment Budget

On April 12th, ANS submitted testimony on Washington, DC’s FY23 budget for the Department of Energy and Environment. We focused on the following key issues:  Enact the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) faster   Transition to Cleaner Source of Building Fuel  Continued funding for Solar for All Program  Funding and support… 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

Woodend Restoration Watch: Stream and Trail Restoration Updates

Our Woodend Nature Sanctuary stream restoration project is finally complete! Extending from the “old well” to the Rock Creek trail, a total of 44 step pools have been installed. These step pools were made from log and stone weirs with root wads buried in the pools to capture stormwater, increase… 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

ANS Testifies at DC Council Performance Oversight Hearings

It seems like just yesterday that we were in the middle of last year’s budget process in Washington, DC. Once again we find ourselves balancing our city-wide checkbook, but this time in preparation for the 2022 fiscal year. Before DC’s proposed budget is released though, the DC Council holds performance… Continue reading

ANS Submits Testimony on the FY2021 DC Budget

Last week, ANS and 5 partner organizations submitted testimony on the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) budget to the DC Council Committee on Transportation and the Environment. ANS works closely with DOEE on many climate change, clean energy, and water quality programs, including the Clean Energy DC Act,… 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