Arlington has a new top climate official to steer the county toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 — a goal that some activists fear the county is not on track to meet.
Jennifer Fioretti, previously deputy director of the Dept. of Parks and Recreation, has been named Assistant County Manager for Climate Policy, the county announced in a press release. She will oversee the development of policies that engage both county government and the broader community in achieving Arlington’s environmental goals.
Before this appointment, Fioretti, who has been with Arlington County since 2003, spearheaded updates to the Forestry and Natural Resources Master Plan and facilitated the adoption of the Biophilic Cities Resolution. She also coordinated regional transportation projects for the Dept. of Environmental Services, and helped stand up the Joint Facilities Advisory Commission and the recent update to Arlington Public Schools’ Strategic Plan.
“I am excited to bring my experience working in multiple areas of Arlington County Government to help the County reach its climate goals,” Fioretti said. “I look forward to working alongside great County teams like the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy (AIRE), our volunteer commissions, and community organizations that have long been committed to addressing climate change — and I anticipate all of us making great strides for Arlington.”
Fioretti’s leadership comes as Arlington plans to pour millions of dollars into green initiatives to revamp public infrastructure in coming years. Despite these efforts, some climate activists have raised concerns that the current strategies may fall short, addressing only a small fraction of overall emissions.
Critics say there is a need for greater engagement with residents, who are collectively much bigger users of fossil fuels than the county government.
Fioretti’s predecessor, Bill Eger, became Arlington’s first-ever Climate Policy Officer less than two years ago, in February 2023. He will continue to pursue climate resilience initiatives at the county’s Dept. of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management.
County Manager Mark Schwartz said he is confident in Fioretti’s ability to drive comprehensive, government-wide teams towards substantial environmental achievements.
“I am excited that Jennifer has agreed to take on this critical role for Arlington,” Schwartz said. “She has demonstrated over and over her ability to successfully lead ‘whole of government’ teams that have led to tangible results. Jennifer’s broad knowledge across various policy and program areas will support Arlington’s environmental and sustainability success and serve Arlington well as we move to the next phase of our climate action.”
The Climate Policy Office will lead the community and cross-departmental effort for the next update to the Community Energy Plan, the county’s roadmap to carbon neutrality. To support this work, the Climate Policy Office in the County Manager’s Office will be expanded from two to four positions.
As a first step, a new director of climate policy, Rich Dooley, will be joining Fioretti.
Previously employed at the Dept. of Environmental Services, Dooley led the team that created the original Community Energy Plan and managed a subsequent update to the plan. He has over 30 years of experience in the private and public sectors managing complex environmental programs, covering a number of subject areas with strong ties to climate policy.
