[Archived] Alexandria City Council Approves Eco-City Action Plan Phase I

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2009

The Alexandria City Council approved the first Eco-City Action Plan (Phase I) in the region at a public hearing on Saturday, January 24. The Phase I Eco-City Action Plan consists of 41 goals and 133 action items, which focus on short-term environmental actions. This is the first step in implementing the Eco-City Environmental Charter that was adopted in June 2008.

The Eco-City Alexandria initiative began in the spring of 2007, when the City of Alexandria, the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, and the City's Environmental Policy Commission first partnered with Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning.  This collaborative partnership aims to guide Alexandria towards a more sustainable environmental future over the next several years.

Highlights of the Eco-City Action Plan Phase I include:

• Global Climate Change and other Emerging Threats
• Energy
• Land Use and Open Space
• Water Resources
• Air Quality
• Transportation
• Building Green
• Solid Waste
• Environment and Health
• Implementation 

Following the unanimous approval by City Council, the Environmental Policy Commission, Virginia Tech, and City staff will begin to draft the second phase of the Environmental Action Plan, which will include concrete environmental actions the City will carry out over the next 10 to 20 years.

For more information about the Eco-City Alexandria initiative, please contact KhoaDinh Tran or Kathleen Leonard at 703.838.4966, e-mail Eco-CityAlexandria@alexandriava.gov, or visit alexandriava.gov/Eco-City.