The Piedmont Environmental Council reports that in 2023, 6,315 acres of land in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties were permanently protected with 52 new conservation easements.
Rappahannock County
PEC is proud to join other local groups and interested citizens in successful efforts to protect the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Rappahannock County.
The Piedmont Environmental Council announces new board officers
The Piedmont Environmental Council Board of Directors has a new board chair, David Aldrich, and new board officers: Leslie Cockburn, vice chair; Margrete Stevens, secretary; and Chris McLean, treasurer.
Take Action: Protect Local Government Accountability
We need your help opposing House Bill 1459 (Owen), which will be voted on by the full Counties, Cities and Towns Committee this Friday morning at 9 a.m.
On The Ground Updates – December 2023
A series of short land use and conservation updates from around the PEC region.
2023 Highlights: A Holistic Approach to Conservation
PEC works to protect and restore the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont, while building stronger, more sustainable communities. The following highlights reflect our work in 2023.
Help choose our photo contest winners
Here are the 2023 PEC Photo Contest finalists. Take a look and vote for your favorites now!
Call for Volunteers: Upcoming Tree Plantings in Rappahannock County
PEC works throughout the year on private and public property to plant trees and shrubs to establish or improve riparian buffers. This fall, we are hosting two volunteer tree plantings in Rappahannock County.
Data Centers, Surging Power Demand Take Center Stage
The size, scale, and speed at which applications for data center projects are coming in and being approved is astounding.
Just this month, massive proposals moved forward in Culpeper, Louisa, and King George counties, with more being reviewed in Caroline and Stafford counties. Prince William, Loudoun, Fairfax, and Fauquier counties all have multiple active proposals for hyperscale data centers, which can demand hundreds of megawatts of power per campus. As an example, the data center campus just approved in King George County could total more than 1,200 MW alone.
On The Ground Updates – September 2023
A series of short updates from around the PEC region.
Initial Transmission Proposals – PEC Web Map
Transmission line proposals to serve the explosive growth of data centers in Virginia over the past few years have begun to roll in.