AlexandriaNews

With hurricane and storm season upon us, we need to protect our homes and our trees.

Last week residents at Marina Towers observed heavy equipment and significant activity at the NRG Potomac River Generating Station site and wanted to know what was happening. Khoa Tran with the City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services went to the site to investigate.

Understanding that their opposition is likely to mean very little, the Alexandria City Council passed a resolution opposing Norfolk-Southern's request for a permit to increase daily activity at the ethanol transloading facility in Alexandria's West End.

Virginia American Water announced today that its annual water quality reports are now posted online for customers in its service districts in Alexandria, Prince William, Eastern, Hopewell and Fort Lee. Annual water quality reports provide important information to customers about their drinking water, including the source of water supply, health information and results of water quality monitoring.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has announced George Washington 2 Middle School Science Teacher and Environmental Steward Mary Breslin as a winner of the 2013 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educator

Congressman John Delaney of Maryland’s 6th district is sponsoring the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) fourth-annual Awards Gala in Washington, DC on May 15, 2013. Delaney is a strong advocate to the protection and preservation of the environment and its natural resources, including the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).

The City of Alexandria received information from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on Friday, May 3, regarding a Norfolk Southern proposal and permit request seeking to increase the number of rail cars containing ethanol offloaded at its transloading facility in Alexandria’s West End from the current 14 cars to 30 cars per day. The facility was previously exempted from VDEQ’s air permitting requirements. However, increased emissions resulting from expanded operations triggered the need for an air permit.

The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust is an accredited land trust working to save nearby nature across Northern Virginia. NVCT has protected over 5,400 acres including 26 miles of streams and over 3,000 acres of public parks and nature preserves. For more information on NVCT, please visit our website at www.nvct.org or call (703) 354-5093.

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air 2013” report released today finds that the Washington, D. C. area has cut year-round particle pollution (soot) levels since the 2012 report, in keeping with a trend seen across the nation. The area also saw fewer days with unhealthy spikes in soot levels.

The 20th annual Alexandria Earth Day celebration occurred at Ben Brenman Park on Saturday, April 20. The event included the Trashion Fashion Show, hands-on activities for children, educational exhibits, eco-demonstrations, environmental awards and a tree sale. This year’s theme was "Water: Every Drop Counts!".