Arlington County is just a few years out from realizing its dream of turning residents’ solid waste into natural gas and consumer-grade fertilizer.
Arlington Re-Gen, a long-awaited upgrade to the county’s wastewater treatment process, is expected to begin producing a product known as “Class A biosolids” by late 2030 or early 2031 — providing more opportunities for the second life of Arlington residents’ No. 2.
A statewide environmental advocacy group has praised Arlington’s recent decision to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers.
The Quiet Clean Virginia Foundation sees the County Board’s vote on July 18 as a model for other localities across the state.
Owners of electric vehicles may have to pay more for a charge at Arlington County facilities starting later this year.
The County Board has directed staff to prepare an ordinance to increase charging rates from the current 17.46 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 30 cents per kWh.
It’s official: gas-powered leaf blowers are getting banned in Arlington.
County Board members on Saturday adopted a 29-month phase-out period for gas-powered leaf blowers countywide, a timeframe officials said would help to make sure the transition goes smoothly.
County Board members are approaching a decision this weekend on whether to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in Arlington.
They appear all but certain to vote in favor of the ban, but still seem undecided on the length of the phase-out period. Several County Board members told ARLnow they will be weighing public feedback before taking a position on whether to support a period of 18, 24 or 36 months.
County Board members have voted to consider a transition period of between 18 and 36 months to potentially phase out gas-powered leaf blowers.
On a 5-0 vote, Board members advertised a July public hearing for final action. The proposal features a potential implementation timetable that is longer than some environmental activists want but shorter than some industry leaders say is feasible.
County Board members are approaching an initial vote on potentially prohibiting gas-powered leaf-blowers, but it’s still unclear when such a ban would go into effect.
The Board is slated to vote this Saturday on setting a a public hearing for next month that could start the clock ticking. County staff is sticking with its past recommendation for a three-year phase-in period, unswayed by recommendations by a number of advisory panels for a shorter phase-in period.
A potential ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Arlington is moving forward, with county staff preparing draft regulations for community and County Board consideration.
Board action as early as this summer could start the clock ticking on a multi-year phaseout period.
County Board members have approved new rooftop solar panels at four more county buildings, including Central Library.
Collectively, the installations are anticipated to save the county government about $850,000 in utility costs over a 25-year period.
A year-round ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, with a three-year phase-out period, is likely to be considered by County Board members later this year.
A county staff recommendation to that effect received no significant pushback from any Board members during a Feb. 24 meeting.
One of the fiercest advocates for action and advocacy after last month’s mass sewage spill has a long background in fighting for the Potomac River.
Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks was one of the first at the scene of the burst Potomac Interceptor pipe in Montgomery County on Jan. 19.
Tests of water samples from the Potomac River are reporting dangerously high levels of E. coli following a rupture in a sewage pipe upstream from Arlington.
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network recorded bacteria levels 60 times higher than what is considered safe for human contact in a sample taken at Fletchers Cove on Friday, the organization announced in a press release yesterday (Monday). This is in D.C., across the river from Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
