Community News

• Food Assistance: Gov. Glenn Youngkin has declared a State of Emergency to address the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting November 1. The Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA), an emergency food assistance program, will provide emergency food benefits to eligible SNAP households while the federal shutdown continues.

• Trees: A new mapping project from the Chesapeake Bay Program shows Virginia lost nearly 50,000 acres of tree canopy in its portion of the Bay watershed between 2014–21. Check out these tree-cover status and change fact sheets for your area to see the land use breakdown and how tree cover is changing in your community.

• Data Centers: Dominion Energy’s plan to build a new 944-megawatt gas complex in Chesterfield County is drawing backlash from clean energy advocates, who say it violates Virginia’s 2045 carbon-free mandate under the Clean Economy Act. As electricity demand from data centers soars, critics argue Dominion ignored cheaper, cleaner alternatives such as battery storage, grid-enhancing technologies, and virtual power plants, calling the proposal a step backward for Virginia’s climate goals.

• Electric Vehicles: The City of Alexandria has become the first city in Virginia to receive a Silver designation from the national Charging Smart program for its efforts to expand electric-vehicle charging infrastructure and support EV adoption.
• Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers: Falls Church officials plan to start exploring options for limiting or banning gas-powered leaf blowers within city limits in 2026, following the growing regional trend toward cleaner, quieter electric alternatives.

Hub Updates

Fill out this form to get involved with your local Advocacy Hub. You'll receive updates for county-specific meetings & events, action alerts, and more! A Hub Leader will reach out to you shortly after submitting.

CITY OF ALEXANDRIA

The Alexandria Hub continues to focus on the city’s Green Building Policy that is scheduled for its first revision since 2019. The Hub is advocating for new measures of energy efficiency for the city's buildings. With more than half of the city's greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy use in buildings, this is a critical area for improvement. In addition, they are talking to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Board members and staff to encourage a comprehensive approach to the school system's sustainability plan currently under development.

📅 Upcoming Meeting: Their next meeting will take place after Election Day on Wednesday, November 5, at 7 PM via Zoom. Their guest speaker will be FACS Advocacy Director Bryan Scrafford, who will review the results and reflect on the implications for Virginia going forward into 2026. Sign up for the “City of Alexandria” FACS Hub’s mailing list to get connected and receive meeting information.

FAIRFAX COUNTY

📅 Upcoming Meeting: With the General Assembly session rapidly approaching, the Fairfax Hub will be discussing ways you can be involved in state-level climate advocacy virtually on Thursday, November 20, at 7 PM. The guest speaker will be a member of the General Assembly who will share insights on their upcoming legislative priorities.

LOUDOUN COUNTY

Last month marked Rev. Jean Wright’s last meeting as Chair of the Loudoun Hub. We thank her for her years of leadership with FACS and look forward to hearing about her next adventures. Bryan Scrafford, FACS' Advocacy Director, will serve as Interim Chair starting with their upcoming virtual November meeting.

📅 Upcoming Meeting: Learn how to get involved in the upcoming 2026 legislative session on Sunday, November 23, at 2 PM via Zoom.

ARLINGTON COUNTY

The Arlington Hub’s October meeting welcomed Rich Dooley, Arlington’s Director of Climate Policy, to talk about the County’s engagement to advise a potential ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. The community response so far has been enormous, reflecting growing interest in cleaner and quieter alternatives.

📅 Upcoming Meeting: Their next meeting will be Wednesday, November 5, at 7 PM via Zoom. Sign up for the “Arlington County” FACS Hub’s mailing list to get connected and for more information.

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY (CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY)

The Central Valley Hub recently discussed FACS' Climate Crisis Forum on data centers and the implications of energy and water use in the Central Shenandoah Valley. The Hub is considering how to advocate on this issue during the upcoming General Assembly on the state level.

Following up on their recent sustainable, regenerative farm tour, they invited Nico Melas, owner of Mill Song Bakery, who shared his vision for growing heritage organic grains in the Shenandoah Valley using regenerative farming methods. The Hub continues to explore ways to support local, sustainable agriculture as part of its response to the climate crisis.

Sign up for the “Rockingham County (Central Shenandoah Valley)” FACS Hub’s mailing list to get connected and stay tuned to what’s happening in the Shenandoah Valley.

FACS' Monthly Sustainability Tip

Want to save on energy and money? Keep your thermostat at 70 degrees during the heating season, cover window air conditioning units during the winter, use warm or cold water for washing clothes where you can and always use cold water to rinse (see more energy saving tips).