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The Cascade: The Great Falls Group Newsletter
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Calendar
Potomac Solar Co-op Informational Meeting
Monday, Sept. 12, 6:45 pm
Ashburn
Documentary Film: Bag It
Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:00 pm
Vienna
Clean-up at Scotts Run Stream Valley Park
Saturday, Oct. 22, 9:00 to 11:00 am
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Serve on the Great Falls Group Nominating Committee
Would you like to get more involved in Sierra Club's Great Falls Group? We're looking for members to participate in the upcoming election.
If you're interested in serving on the Nominating Committee and would like more information, please contact
Trish Wotowiec by September 30.
Voting will be in December for this important election.
Interested in doing more with the Sierra Club? Contact Norbert Pink.
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Local Citizens Rally for Clean Air, Water, and Energy
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| Photo credit: David Stossel |
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About forty people gathered at Fairfax County's Riverbend Park on Sunday, August 16, for a Hands across Our Land rally calling for protection from the onslaught of new natural gas infrastructure and pollution of our land, water, and air from fossil fuels and fracked gas pipelines.
In attendance were members of Sierra Club Great Falls Group, 350 Loudoun, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network, as well as students from the Students for Environmental Action club at James Madison High School. Speakers addressed the status of four planned natural gas pipeline projects in Virginia, sea level rise in Norfolk, the needs of those most affected by climate change, problems with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and local environmental issues.
Speakers
Lee Stewart of Beyond Extreme Energy explained how FERC traditionally rubber-stamps gas industry permit applications, pointing out that since 1986 FERC has approved every application submitted for fracked gas infrastructure. Stewart urged everyone to join the fight for an end to the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. Learn more on the Beyond Extreme Energy website.
Kirk Bowers, pipelines campaign manager of the Virginia Sierra Club, addressed concerns about the proposed Columbia Gas WB Xpress gas pipeline project, which will especially affect Fairfax and Loudoun counties. Columbia's plans include building a compressor station in Chantilly as well as laying 2.2 miles of pipeline in the county to carry fracked gas across the state. Learn more about this proposed pipeline in Bowers's article in this newsletter.
Joyce Cheng, Sam Ressin, and Casey Grage, former students at James Madison High School who founded Students for Environmental Action, shared a positive update on Fairfax County Public Schools' progress on use of solar panels in the school system. Their call to rally the crowd was: "Get started today rather than tomorrow. Tomorrow is too late." Read more about their journey in
their article below.
As a native Virginian, Drew Gallagher from Chesapeake Climate Action told his personal story about his commitment to raising awareness of the impact of climate change on his state. He works with the
Virginia Student Environmental Coalition and the
Climate Action Society at several Virginia universities. Working with students assures him that our future is in good hands. The presentation by the three James Madison students confirmed his hope, and he urged all to listen to our youth.
By Rev. Dr. Jean Wright, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
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Free Energy Tests for New Houses
The Sierra Club recently received a generous offer to provide FREE energy efficiency tests to Sierra Club members and friends who recently purchased a newly constructed house in Virginia. The house should be less than 12 months old and not certified under an energy efficiency brand such as Energy Star.
Virginia's building code now requires that new homes be sealed tightly enough so that there are no more than five air changes per hour. Also, the code limits leakage from the heating/cooling ductwork to no more than 6 percent. These standards improve a building's energy efficiency and its indoor air quality. Unlike nearly every other state, Virginia requires only a visual inspection to confirm compliance. However, it takes mechanical tests to determine whether the house actually meets these requirements. Because they are not required, builders in Virginia rarely perform the mechanical tests known as "blower door" for the building and "duct blaster" for the ductwork.
This offer is worth $250 for a small house and more for a larger one. A limited number of tests are available for houses less than 12 months old. If you, a relative, or a friend recently purchased a new house in Virginia, please take advantage of the offer. The owner will receive a written report of the results, including recommendations for correcting any defects found.
If the new house was built under one of the third-party, energy efficiency brands such as Energy Star, LEED, PassiveHouse, or EarthCraft House, it was tested mechanically and already meets that brand's better-than-code requirements for energy efficiency.
For more information about this offer and to sign up for a free test, email
Kelsey Crane with "Energy Test" in the subject line.
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WB Xpress Pipeline in Fairfax County
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| Photo Credit: Bruce Green/NREL |
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A new pipeline is coming to your area. Columbia Gas proposes to construct a n
ew compressor station and 2.0 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Fairfax County. Known as the WB Xpress pipeline, it includes
25.8 miles of replacement pipeline and 3.1 miles of new pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia. About 11.3 miles of the proposed pipeline would cross the Monongahela National Forest. The project would expand the capacity of Columbia's natural gas pipeline system by 1.3 million dekatherms per day.
Project Scope
Construction of the project would require a total of 579.9 acres of land, including 138.1 acres of existing right-of-way, 40.2 acres of proposed new permanent right-of-way, and 109.5 acres of fenced facilities that would be retained for operation activities. Construction would include approximately 292.1 acres of temporary construction workspace, additional temporary workspace, staging areas, contractor yards, and access roads.
Impacts on Soil and Water
Pipeline activities such as "clearing, grading, trenching, and backfilling will adversely affect soil resources by causing accelerated erosion, compaction, and introduction of rock or fill material to the surface," the Sierra Club said in its formal protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). About 73 percent of the soils that would be affected by construction are considered highly erodible
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While temporary erosion and sedimentation measures may help to limit the transport of eroded soils, they cannot prevent the acceleration of erosion or soil compaction caused by construction. Restoration of ground surface alone is not enough to protect against these adverse impacts.
Another concern is the project's impact on our water sources, both during construction and in the long term. The reduced vegetation across the considerable width of the right of way on relatively steep terrain will increase runoff rates and decrease groundwater retention and discharge rates. Both impacts will undermine water quality as long as the easement exists as a clear-cut swath of land.
Danger from Steep Slopes
Several sections of the mountainous terrain along the pipeline route exceed 50 degrees in slope. Steep slopes combined with erodible soils make it very difficult for construction crews to manage runoff and sediment discharge from the construction site. Many of these pipeline areas are adjacent to wetland areas or stream crossings where additional disturbance will take place.
About 6.6 miles of proposed pipeline and three of the new above-ground facilities are areas of steep slopes that are highly susceptible to landslides.
The likelihood for these soils to become unstable during or after construction is high. Slope movements threaten the integrity of the pipeline, reliability of service, and the safety of those in the area.
Effect on Scenic Areas and Global Warming
The WB Xpress crosses 4.5 miles of Special Area: Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area in the Monongahela National Forest. This national recreation area encompasses elevations ranging from 1,000 to 4,861 feet and is a sensitive, protected vegetation community. Primary management goals include providing recreational opportunities and conserving scenic, scientific, and historic values.
This area is too valuable to impair.
At full capacity, the WB Xpress would carry 1.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, equating to 35 million metric tons of greenhouse gas per year. Since pipelines are expected to have a useful life of more than 30 years, the cumulative contribution to global warming could exceed 1 billion
metric tons and extend beyond 2050. That would be on top of all the gas carried by other natural gas pipelines.
The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club filed a formal protest with FERC on February 4, 2016, to intervene in the agency's permitting process for Columbia Gas. Learn more about natural gas pipelines on the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter website.
What You Can Do
Submit comments to FERC under Docket No. CP16-38. After setting up an account and locating the docket number, you can submit comments on the pipeline.
By Kirk A. Bowers, PE, Pipelines Campaign Coordinator, Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club
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Students Fight for Solar in Our Schools
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L to R: Casey Grage, Sam Ressin, Joyce Cheng
Photo credit: David Stossel
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We are three recent graduates of James Madison High School in Vienna. While still at Madison, we led the effort to install solar panels on schools in our district, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), which
currently relies on unclean and unsustainable fossil fuels for energy. Through social media campaigns and presentations to various organizations, our team has urged the county to adopt a power purchase agreement (PPA), a contract in which a solar company installs, maintains, and owns solar panels. For the contract's term, the schools buy the electricity the panels generate at a rate that is the same as or lower than what they currently pay. The push has motivated the FCPS Board to launch solar energy operations.
We began our quest by writing a petition to the FCPS Board explaining our proposal and justifications. We then organized a speaker event to educate and excite students, parents, and faculty about renewable energy. The event sparked the #WeWantSolar campaign, proliferating our project's recognition and lending credibility to our petition. We gained 665 signatures, mostly from students, as well as strong outside support.
Convincing the FCPS Board
On January 21
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we presented the petition to the FCPS Board, pointing out the economic, environmental, and educational benefits of solar panels. Following the presentation, the board arranged for a solar installation company to assess solar panel feasibility in our district. We also received a statement from the chairman of the school board saying that she wants to "jump into solar as soon as possible" and "we [FCPS Board] must be seriously considering alternatives to fossil fuels." Additionally, we lobbied Virginia Delegate Mark Keam and Virginia Senator Chap Petersen, proposing a bill to mitigate the restrictions on PPAs in Virginia. Currently, PPAs are allowed only on nonprofit buildings such as schools and religious buildings. Petersen gave verbal confirmation that he would propose the bill for either the current or following assembly session. Local press, including the Sun Gazette and InsideNOVA, covered our solar efforts.
The school board presentation and InsideNOVA article have helped us gain momentum, and we have continued to push forward. We have all spoken at multiple Sierra Club rallies and met with various leaders. In a meeting with
the FCPS coordinator of Capital Projects and Sustainable Design, we learned some great news: FCPS intends to enter a PPA and is negotiating with three different solar companies. The coordinator believed in solar energy, but needed the push from his constituency--like FCPS students--to move forward. Still, we ask all supporters to contact their school board representatives and express their enthusiasm for the cause.
Becoming Environmentalists
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Cheng, Grage, and Ressin at a recent rally
Photo credit: David Stossel
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Each of us grew passionate about the environment differently. Sam saw the need for environmental protection when he went backpacking through New Mexico when he was 15. Casey was in fourth grade when she learned the world was not a perfect place and was in danger from climate change. Joyce realized how indifferent and unconcerned people were toward keeping their environment clean after collecting a huge bag full of trash during her elementary school's beautification day. Since these pivotal moments, we have all initiated projects, clubs, and services to do our part as stewards of the earth. However, we all came together for this project in particular.
It is so important to us that FCPS goes solar, not only because it is our hometown, but also because solar schools are a necessary catalyst toward energy sustainability. As one of the most well-respected school districts in the United States, FCPS sets the perfect example for widespread growth of solar panels. It will gain attention and inspire other school districts, companies, and homeowners to go solar. This passion, like ours, will provide the push necessary to convince politicians to remove the restrictions on PPAs in Virginia. Then, we will truly see proliferation of solar energy.
As students, we attend meetings and fight for solar in FCPS because schools revolve around and rely on student involvement. Every year of education changes students, and solar panels on our schools would change our experiences for the better. Already, our advocacy for solar power required all of us in our school's environmental club to combine our brainpower to positively market solar energy to the school board and larger school community.
What You Can Do
We encourage everyone to get involved in environmental action, whether you're an adult or a student. To parents, as role models and leaders: please help facilitate the involvement of your students in environmental advocacy. To every reader: please write to your local and state delegates; ask them to remove the restrictions on PPAs. Use the #WeWantSolar hashtag on social media. Continue the pressure on FCPS officials and the politicians by holding rallies. Together, we can win this fight.
By Joyce Cheng, Casey Grage, and Sam Ressin
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Go Solar with the Potomac Solar Co-op
Earlier this year, neighbors across Northern Virginia formed the Potomac Solar Co-op to save money and simplify the process of going solar. The group is working with local nonprofit VA SUN in partnership with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment and the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy. The bulk purchasing group is open to Northern Virginia residents from Arlington in the east to Leesburg in the north and Manassas in the west. Co-op members leverage their bulk purchasing power to receive significant group discounts. Participants can also count on the support of their fellow members, as well as that of VA SUN, to help navigate the process.
"We've formed the Potomac Solar Co-op to make saving money with solar energy as simple as possible," said Aaron Sutch, VA SUN state director. "Joining the co-op helps members learn about the technology so they feel confident in their decision to go solar."
Working Together
Recognizing that navigating the solar world on one's own can be a daunting task, Sutch and VA SUN see public solar education and community-building as key factors in the expansion of solar technology. By focusing its co-ops on a central geographic area, such as Northern Virginia, VA SUN empowers communities to go solar together.
VA SUN has organized 12 bulk purchasing co-ops across the state since its launch in 2014. It has helped more than 415 Virginians go solar, facilitating more than 2.5 MW of solar installations. The solar energy installed through these co-ops has given Virginians across the commonwealth tangible social and environmental benefits. The co-ops have generated more than $7 million in retail solar sales for Virginia contractors, sponsored dozens of public education events, and offset the production of 77 million tons of carbon.
Here in Northern Virginia, community response to the Potomac Solar Co-op has been magnificent. Since its May launch, the co-op has welcomed more than 140 members from ten cities and towns across Northern Virginia. VA SUN's first two information sessions for the co-op drew more than 160 people, sparking a broad dialogue on solar across the region. The Potomac Solar Co-op seeks to unleash this momentum by providing area residents with an easy, accessible procedure through which to go solar.
How the Co-op Works
The Potomac Solar Co-op recently selected two group installers through an open and competitive bidding process. Drawing from its years of experience with the local solar industry, VA SUN issued a request for proposals to area installers on behalf of the co-op. Interested bidders described the products they'd use as well as the price they would charge group members.
A committee of co-op members reviewed the 11 bids received, and selected two installers: Sustainable Energy Systems and EDGE Energy.
Co-op members will receive an in-person site visit from their assigned installer, who will then develop a customized proposal based on their roof structure, energy usage, and budget. Each proposal will be priced at the discounted co-op rate. Members are under no obligation to purchase solar panels, and will have one month to accept or decline the contract offered.
Joining the Co-op
The Potomac Solar Co-op is open to new members through September 30. Signing up for the co-op is free. For more information, contact solarteam@vasun.org or visit the co-op webpage. We invite all readers to attend VA SUN's upcoming Potomac Solar Co-op information session at the Ashburn Library (43316 Hay Road) on Monday, September 12, at 6:45 pm.
By Emma Rodvien
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Turkey Run Park, part of the National Park system, runs alongside the Potomac River in Virginia. Located off the George Washington Parkway about two miles south of the American Legion Bridge, the park has several trails, including the Potomac Heritage Trail alongside the river.
Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet!
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Get Outdoors with the Sierra Club
Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO) is a special activities group of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. It organizes hikes and events year-round for the general public on behalf of the Sierra Club's chapter in Washington, D.C., and the Maryland and Virginia Chapters' Washington-suburb groups. Volunteer leaders conduct the events, many of which include conservation, educational, or historical elements. For information about SCPRO and its upcoming events, visit the
SCPRO Events website. To obtain a free calendar subscription, inquire about becoming a SCPRO outings leader, or get answers to other questions, write to
info@sierrapotomac.org.
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Great Falls Group Executive Committee
The monthly meeting of the Great Falls Group (GFG) Executive Committee is open to all Sierra Club members. Contact Norbert Pink for meeting times and location. If you would like to help the group, please volunteer by contacting one of the following leaders or Norbert Pink.
Officers:
Committee Chairs:
Committee Support:
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Calendar of Events
Potomac Solar Co-op Informational Meeting, 6:45 pm
Neighbors across Northern Virginia have formed a solar co-op to save money and make going solar easier while building a network of solar supporters. Local non-profit VA SUN has helped homeowners organize nearly a dozen solar co-ops in Virginia in the last two years. Save up to 20 percent off the cost of going solar. Get help from the co-op throughout the process. System sizes vary to fit your budget. (See related article in this issue.)
Location: Ashburn Library, Meeting Room B, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn
Thursday, Sept. 22
Documentary Film: Bag It, 7:00 pm
Vienna
Is your life too plastic? This award-winning documentary is the story of a man who makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and how it changes his life. What starts out as a simple pledge leads to a full expos
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of how plastics are affecting our lives. Discussion to follow film.
Free refreshments. And the Virginia Green Baggers will be giving away free reusable cloth bags.
Location: Patrick Henry Library, 101 Maple Avenue East, Vienna
Sponsor: Sierra Club Great Falls Group
Clean-Up at Scotts Run Stream Valley Park, 9 to 11 am
Falls Church
Location: Behind Westgate Elementary School, 7500 Magarity Road, Falls Church
Sponsor: Sierra Club Great Falls Group
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