Chap's Virginia 2.0 Details  Virginia 2.0 Objective: To make Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia a leader in energy efficiency, environmental protection and sustainable living. Background: Virginia is the birthplace of a great nation. Our state has been the home of national leaders from colonial times to the present. Virginians were able to accomplish great things for one reason – generations past invested in the future. To prepare for our 21st century future, we need a vision. Below are some of the issues we face. Resolving them is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Rather, let’s resolve these issues by asking: how will our actions impact our children and our children’s children?
ISSUE NUMBER ONE: TRAFFIC CONGESTION Problem: Fairfax County is home to nearly 1.1 million residents and five hundred thousand jobs. Our road network has not changed significantly since the Beltway was opened over forty years ago. Commuting to work or just driving to the mall can literally take hours – the D.C. region is ranked #2 in terms of lost work time due to traffic. That congestion also causes emissions that is ruinous to our air quality. When will it get better? Solution: Improvements to our Transportation System We live in an urban county. That means providing safe and reliable transit options for travel to work and leisure. Here are some common-sense improvements: (a) extending the Orange Line Metro from Vienna to Centreville to relieve traffic on the Rte 66 corridor, Moving Freight from Trucking to Rail: New road construction is not the only answer – we need new modal capability. For example, we need a state policy moving inter-state freight traffic from our highways to our railways. This simple step alone will do more to eliminate regional traffic congestion than a new Metro line or highway. Reducing Personal Vehicle Trips: We also need state incentives for telecommuting, mixed use development (where residents walk to work and shopping), and land use taxation credits which discourages sprawl and encourage redevelopment of older, blighted communities. Reducing personal vehicle trips reduces traffic. Using Technology to Improve Traffic Flow: Finally, better information management allows us all to make better decisions about commuting. Wiring up VDOT’s traffic cameras in Fairfax County and permitting a “live feed” onto the Internet will allow residents to review local traffic conditions – before they drive.  ISSUE NUMBER TWO: GROWING CARBON EMISSIONS Problem: According to the Washington Post, the carbon dioxide emissions in our region has increased by over 13% in the last four years.1 That is nearly three times the national average. We are burning fuels faster than ever before – and global warming becomes worse. We will permanently alter our environment within our lifetime, unless we change course. Solution: Enacting a Real State Energy Plan We need a state energy strategy with requirements to reduce harmful emissions. Here are some strategic goals that should be part of any state plan: (a) phase out coal-burning power plants unless they capture and sequester carbon output, Natural Protections: New technologies are great, but that’s not the only solution. We also need to preserve resources like plants and trees which serve as a natural buffer against the negative effects of our energy-consuming world. According to recent statistics, we have lost 64% of our dense tree cover since 1973.2 According to the State Department of Forestry, we are losing 26,000 acres of forest per year. As part of any energy plan, we need specific targets to preserve our tree canopy and forests, e.g. through the use of land preservation tax credits. Preserving Trees Locally: Local governments should be permitted by state law to designate “tree canopy” on lots subject to development to keep us cool and our air fresh. That is critical for preserving our air quality and quality of life, especially in an urban county like Fairfax. Developing Alternative Fuels: As described in Issue #4, alternative and renewable fuels are a “win-win” for Virginia because they marry our downstate agricultural resources with Fairfax County air quality needs. Developing domestic “clean fuels” will reduce carbon consumption and promote better air quality.ISSUE NUMBER THREE: LOSS OF OPEN SPACE Problem: The population of Fairfax County has doubled since I graduated from Fairfax High School in 1986. It seems as if every square inch of land is under development. How do we preserve the remaining open spaces and give families a chance to enjoy the outdoors? Solution: Local Flexibility We need more tools for local governments to preserve open space. Conservation easements and “land banks” give communities low-cost methods to lock up open space for passive or active recreation. The state should permit local governments autonomy to use these methods, and citizens should encourage them to use it. Creative Taxation Policy: Creative tax methods like the “split rate” real property taxation bill – passed in 2002 but limited in its scope – can encourage redevelopment with lower taxes in certain defined areas while roping off “rural crescents” from unchecked development. It is a creative solution to an age-old problem of limiting sprawl. More Citizen Input: We need to ensure that citizens are included in the land development process and their voices are heeded. We have mandatory public hearings for rezoning and special exception hearings. I would support any measure to keep this process as open as possible, so that citizens can speak on the issues and be heard. Regional Coordination: There needs to be better coordination between state and local governments in order to avoid the hodgepodge effect of development. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission is the best vehicle to bring together local leaders and VDOT to plan growth – and, more importantly, plan preservation. ISSUE NUMBER FOUR: DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS Problem: Our community, our state and our nation are dependent on fossil fuels, largely imported from foreign nations – some of which openly despise us. How can we break this dependency? Solution: Developing Alternative Energy We must develop the next generation of alternative energy products in Virginia. That means economic incentives at the production and retail levels for alternative “clean” energies like bio-diesel, natural gas, hydrogen and cellulosic (not corn-based) ethanol. Recent articles have shown that southern Virginia crops like switchgrass can serve as a environmentally-friendly source for ethanol.3 Developing these fuels makes sense environmentally and economically. Creating Markets for Alternative Energy: We should mandate use of these clean fuels at the government level to create markets and thus raise demand. Eventually, we should require “clean fuels” to be available at the pump; otherwise consumers will not have access to them. Bottom line: developing and promoting alternative fuels can marry the energy needs of Fairfax with downstate agricultural resources. It is a “win-win” for all. Fuel Efficiency: More efficient cars means less need for foreign oil. The Federal government has failed to lead on tougher fuel efficiency standards. Now states are stepping in to fill the gap. For example, the State of California enacted its own efficiency standards in 2007. There is no reason for Virginia to be left behind; our environment is just as important.ISSUE NUMBER FIVE: USING TECHNOLOGY TO SAVE MONEY Problem: A significant portion of our household budgets and our governmental budgets are dedicated to rising energy costs. Without a competitive energy market, how can we cut costs and save tax dollars? Solution: “Green” Building Standards There are nationally recognized standards called “LEED” (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design) that are changing the way we look at new construction. The Green Building Council has them on their website at www.usgbc.org. These standards do more than just save energy – they save money in the long term. Using LEED standards for new construction saves thousands of dollars in energy costs. These eco-friendly technologies, which trap and store heat, are being used by builders across the United States, even without tax incentives. Promoting LEED Standards: We need to promote this technology at the state and local level in Virginia with more than just token tax breaks. Rather, we should seek to change behavior so that eventually all new housing is mandated to use energy efficient standards – just like all new construction must comply with handicap accessibility. Establishing a “Cool Commonwealth”: The state should lead by example – newly constructed government buildings (from college dormitories to DMV centers) should be required to follow the LEED standards. Moreover, the state should sign on to the Sierra Club’s “Cool Cities” program which mandates energy efficiency. Let’s call it the “Cool Commonwealth.” Bottom line: the state needs to take the lead on LEED standards. This will not just save energy – it will also save taxpayer dollars. |