[Archived] City of Alexandria to Hold Eco-City Summit

For Immediate Release: February 19, 2019

The City of Alexandria invites the public to attend the Eco-City Summit on Saturday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Francis C. Hammond Middle School (4646 Seminary Road).

The Summit will include an open house-style overview of the Environmental Action Plan (EAP) 2030, the City’s sustainability roadmap. Diane MacEachern, founder and CEO of the award-winning green consumer blog “Big Green Purse,” will deliver the keynote speech, “7 Secrets to Living Your Most Sustainable Life,” which will be streamed live on the Transportation & Environmental Services Facebook page.

The City began a collaboration with the community and the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission to update the EAP in two phases, starting in 2017. The Summit is another opportunity for Alexandrians to voice their opinions on the plan’s draft recommendations.

The City launched the update process in response to several factors, including the City’s accomplishments since the 2009 adoption of the EAP, emerging technology and evolving infrastructure needs, and new approaches to reducing the City and community’s impact on the environment. This updated document will provide a refreshed, informed and responsive guide for environmental decision-making.

In October 2018, the Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted the EAP Phase One Update, which identified short-term goals (through Fiscal Year 2023) and action items for five EAP focus areas: Energy, Climate Change, Green Building, Land Use and Open Space, and Solid Waste.

The City is nearing the end of Phase Two of the update, which established short-term goals and action items for the remaining five focus areas: Transportation; Air Quality; Water Resources; Environment and Health; and Outreach, Education and Implementation. Phase Two also included the development of mid- and long- term goals for all 10 focus areas.

The draft recommendations will be considered by City Council as a comprehensive plan in late Spring 2019.

To RSVP or get more information about the Eco-City Summit, the Environmental Action Plan or the City’s sustainability initiative Eco-City Alexandria, visit alexandriava.gov/Eco-City.

For media inquiries, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact geralyn.taylor@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4084, Virginia Relay 711.