[Archived] City Hosts Successful Eco-City Summit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2008

City of Alexandria Hosts Successful Eco-City Summit

The City of Alexandria, the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, the Environmental Policy Commission, and Virginia Tech University’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning hosted the City’s first Eco-City Summit this past Saturday at T.C. Williams High School.  The Eco-City Summit was an open forum where 150 citizens and community stakeholders participated in roundtable discussions; provided feedback on the draft Eco-City Charter developed by the Environmental Policy Commission (EPC); and identified, discussed and prioritized the environmental actions that the City should take to fulfill the Charter. These environmental actions will be considered in the development of an Environmental Action Plan.

Based on the public input received during this summit, the EPC will meet on May 19 to finalize the draft Charter before passing a resolution to recommend it to the City Council for consideration. City Council will hold a public hearing on this draft Charter on June 14. Following the public hearing, the EPC, Virginia Tech and City staff will develop the Environmental Action Plan this summer and fall and will forward the Plan to the City Council for consideration early next year.
Mayor Robert “Bob” Harvey from Waitakere, New Zealand, a pioneer in the Eco-City movement and an advocate for environmental sustainability, served as the Summit’s keynote speaker. Local elected officials, city businesses, and civic organizations also participated, offering strategies for the overall sustainable future of the City.

The public is encouraged to provide additional input by submitting written or electronic requests to the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services or Eco-CitySummit@alexandriava.gov. 

For more information about Eco-City Alexandria Initiative, please call the City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services at 703.838.4966, or visit alexandriava.gov.