Energy and Climate Change Action Plan

Information on the City’s Energy and Climate Change Action Plan (ECCAP) update process, including information on the Energy and Climate Change Task Force. Resources on the City's climate change action efforts are also provided.
Page updated on March 8, 2023 at 12:17 PM

Draft Energy and Climate Change Action Plan

The Public Comment period for the Draft Energy and Climate Change Action Plan closed February 10, 2023. The City is currently in the process of finalizing the Draft ECCAP in preparation for presenting the plan to City Council later in the Spring.

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan

Updating the Action Plan will help the City respond to climate change impacts and environmental emergencies and align with the 2019 updated Environmental Action Plan 2040 (EAP2040) and build upon existing City energy, greenhouse gas reduction, and climate action efforts. The EAP2040's targets include reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80 to 100% by 2050, supported by significant state and federal contributions. The City’s update of the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan will leverage regional priority actions identified in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan, as well as the climate action planning efforts underway or completed by the City’s regional and national peers.

In addition, the City is excited to announce its participation in an Integrated Climate Action Planning cohort program with 20 other cities through ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a global network of more than 1,750 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Leveraging this integrated climate action planning development process will provide additional technical support resources to assist the City.

Background

In July 2019, the Alexandria City Council adopted the City’s Environmental Action Plan 2040 (EAP2040). The EAP2040 establishes a target of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by Fiscal Year 2030 and 80 to 100 percent by Fiscal Year 2050  supported by significant contributions at the state and federal level toward renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates. The ECCAP update supports meeting the goal of increasing the City’s preparedness to respond to the impacts of climate change and environmental emergencies.  One EAP2040 action is to establish a multidisciplinary task force to guide an update of the 2011 Energy and Climate Action Plan implement and evaluate efforts to work towards meeting the City’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.

In October 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution declaring  climate emergency, recognizing that climate change poses a grave threat to everyone in Alexandria and around the world. The resolution expresses City Council’s commitment to climate change action at it is likely to have a particular impact on the Alexandria community where adapting to climate change will be key to Alexandria’s environmental and economic future.  

The Task Force is established to provide guidance to City staff in the development of the updated Energy and Climate Change Action Plan. The Energy and Climate Change Action Plan will 1) support implementation of the EAP2040’s existing actions, and 2) identify additional actions available for the City to consider in order to act on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to address climate change according to the EAP2040’s targets and goals. 

The Task Force will also support two additional components of the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan’s development process, including 1) focusing on priorities of diversity, racial and social equity, and inclusivity as a critical lens for conducting energy and climate change action planning, and 2) leveraging climate change action solutions to support Alexandria’s COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery efforts and economic development goals.  

Energy and Climate Change Task Force

On September 22, the Alexandria City Council approved Resolution 2958 to establish an Energy and Climate Change Task Force. The purpose of the Energy and Climate Change Task Force is to provide guidance to the City of Alexandria during the process to update the City’s Energy and Climate Change Action Plan (ECCAP). This guidance includes providing feedback on analyses of community greenhouse gas emissions; understanding climate change vulnerabilities, and public health and economic implications; and evaluating climate adaptation opportunities. Moreover, the Task Force will support the City's identification, evaluation, and prioritization of recommendations for policy, programmatic, or technology actions to achieve specific, science-based emissions reductions consistent with the Environmental Action Plan 2040 (EAP2040)’s targets and goals. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, efforts that:

  • increase of renewable energy production and availability for city residents/businesses;
  • work to curtail consumption of fossil fuels;
  • engage Alexandria residents and businesses in emissions-reducing actions;
  • identify opportunities for climate adaptation policies and practices.

The Task Force will be requested to provide guidance on an Energy and Climate Change Action Plan implementation roadmap, including identifying and evaluating funding and budgeting strategies, specific implementation steps and approaches, and methods to measure and track progress against time-specific goals consistent with the EAP2040.

The Task Force is comprised of 13 members appointed by the City Manager, and includes general community representation; environmental advocates; energy, climate, and related technical experts; representatives from Alexandria’s youth and representing equity issues; and those representing engagement with Alexandria’s businesses and institutional partners. The Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) has designated their own representative.

  • Javier Bastos, Alexandria’s business community and institutional organization interests
  • Leah Devendorf, Alexandria youth interests with specific priority of Alexandria high school students
  • Mary Harris, Co-Chair, Clean energy and climate policy or technology
  • Fiona Herbold, Alexandria youth interests with specific priority of Alexandria high school students
  • Praveen Kathpal, At-large member of the Alexandria community
  • Alyssa Morin, At-large member of the Alexandria community
  • Raquel Nicora, Diversity, racial and social equity, and inclusivity issues of diverse Alexandria populations, including those of Alexandria’s aging population
  • Marian Pegram, Co-Chair, Diversity, racial and social equity, and inclusivity issues of diverse Alexandria populations, including those of Alexandria’s aging population
  • Josh Sawislak, Alexandria’s business community or institutional organization interests
  • Marta Schantz, Environmental Policy Commission Member
  • Rose Stephens-Booker, Member reflecting climate change solutions to support the City’s economic development goals
  • Stephen Walz, Member reflecting environmental, clean energy, or climate change action advocacy organization or interest
  • Sangina Wright, At-large member of the Alexandria community

The Task Force will apply a lens of diversity, racial and social equity, and inclusion following the ALL Alexandria vision, goals, and actions in making recommendations about energy and climate change action planning, and will leverage climate change action solutions to support Alexandria’s COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery efforts and economic development goals. The Task Force is anticipated to meet a minimum of five times between May 2021 and April 2022.

Task Force Meetings

See below for archived meeting materials.

Meeting Archive

2021

2022

Community Workshops

Resources

Questions?

 

Significant contributions to the Action Plan were made by Ellen Eggerton, P.E., City of Alexandria Sustainability Coordinator