climate | FFXnow

Published January 9, 2026 at 2:45PM

Reworld's I-95 Energy Resource Recovery Facility off of Furnace Road (via Google Maps)

A requirement established by the Virginia Clean Economy Act could force a Lorton incinerator that converts waste into energy to shut down, undermining the intent of the law, state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-34) says.

The Senate majority leader plans to introduce a bill at the Virginia General Assembly’s upcoming session that would exclude Fairfax County’s I-95 Energy Resource Recovery Facility (9898 Furnace Road) from regulations requiring larger electricity generators to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, starting in 2031.

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Fairfax County proposes updates to tree species recommended for developers

By Nolan Stout

Published December 10, 2025 at 8:30AM

Trees planted near a residential neighborhood in Idylwood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

As Christmas trees start popping up throughout the region, Fairfax County is wrapping up a multiyear effort to revise regulations around trees used by developers.

At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors’ environmental committee on Nov. 25, county officials provided an update on proposed changes to the tree planting recommendations in its public facilities manual.

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Report: Fairfax carbon emissions trending down, despite post-Covid travel uptick

By Nolan Stout

Published December 5, 2025 at 8:30AM

Westbound traffic passing through the Oakton area on I-66 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County has reduced greenhouse gas emissions nearly 30% since 2005, with officials optimistic the downward trend will continue toward the county’s goals for 2030.

County staff provided a draft report of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) greenhouse gas inventory to the Board of Supervisors’ environmental committee last week (Nov. 25).

News

Stormwater runoff, climate change among top threats to Reston’s environment, report finds

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 25, 2025 at 2:50PM | Updated August 26, 2025 at 3:18PM

A Reston sign under a tree (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Invasive species, an overpopulation of deer and climate change are threatening Reston’s valued forests, a report released earlier this summer found.

Reston Association’s 2024 State of the Environment Report (RASER), published in June, deemed Reston’s urban forests to be in “fair” condition due to the “collective severity” of those and other challenges, including negative impacts of construction and yard debris getting dumped in natural areas.

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Fairfax County is developing new tools to help residents go green

By James Jarvis

Published December 17, 2024 at 3:45PM

Solar panel roof installation (via Raze Solar/Unsplash)

Fairfax County is stepping up efforts to meet its carbon neutrality goals with new programs and tools to help residents go green, starting next year.

First outlined in May, the three-part plan includes a public awareness campaign, a climate action tracking app and a home energy advisory service to help residents transition to clean energy and reduce their carbon footprints.

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Judge deems Youngkin’s actions to withdraw Virginia from RGGI ‘unlawful’

By Charlie Paullin / Virginia Mercury

Published November 20, 2024 at 3:30PM

Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks at Google's office in Reston in April 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Floyd County Circuit Court Judge Randall Lowe determined Wednesday Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin acted unlawfully by withdrawing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a program aimed to reduce climate changing emissions that has funneled hundreds of millions to the state to deal with the impacts of extreme weather events.

In his five page opinion, Lowe wrote that “the only body with the authority to repeal the RGGI regulation would be the General Assembly. This is because a statute, the RGGI Act, requires the RGGI regulation to exist.”

Countywide

Fairfax supervisors redirect ‘green bank’ funds to home energy efficiency program

By James Jarvis

Published June 21, 2024 at 1:30PM

Worker installing solar panels on a roof (via Bill Mead/Unsplash)

Fairfax County has shelved plans to create a “green bank,” instead redirecting those funds to a new initiative that offers residents educational and technical support to make their homes more energy efficient.

The Board of Supervisors voted on June 11 to reallocate $638,955 initially designated for the green bank — a publicly financed institution that facilitates funding for residential and commercial clean energy projects — to a new pilot program called Electrify Fairfax.

News

FCPS and local elected officials celebrate roll out of 42 new electric buses

By James Jarvis

Published April 17, 2024 at 3:45PM | Updated April 17, 2024 at 4:39PM

FCPS School Board Chair Karl Frisch speaks at Lorton Station Elementary School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

(Updated at 4:45 p.m.) Local elected officials, including Rep. Gerry Connolly, gathered in Lorton on Wednesday to celebrate the introduction of 42 new electric buses to the division’s fleet.

These buses, which were funded by a $16.5 million federal grant announced in January, join the 18 electric buses already in operation. Although the division currently operates over 1,600 diesel buses, county officials emphasized that these new electric buses mark the start of a larger transition.

News

First rooftop solar panels on the horizon for Reston Town Center

By Fatimah Waseem

Published March 25, 2024 at 10:15AM

A solar-powered Bikeep station outside Reston Town Center's green garage (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reston Town Center’s first solar panels are on the horizon.

Boston Properties (BXP) plans to install solar panels on top of the green garage in the town center, the property owner and developer announced Friday (March 15). The installation will feature a 1.3-megawatt solar photovoltaic renewable energy system.

Countywide

FCPS wins $16M federal grant to buy more electric school buses

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 9, 2024 at 9:30AM

An electric school bus on display at Flint Hill Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County Public Schools will more than double the number of electric buses in its fleet, thanks to a new federal grant.

The local school system has been awarded $16.59 million as a winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s inaugural Clean School Bus program grants competition. The other winner announced yesterday (Monday) was also from Virginia: Newport News Public Schools will receive $525,000.