PWC Environmental Sustainability Annual Report

The Prince William County Office of Sustainability has released its first Environmental Sustainability Annual Report, highlighting progress, success stories and ongoing efforts to advance environmental sustainability across the community. 

The report provides a comprehensive look at how the county is implementing the Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan, or CESMP, and advancing the Environment goal outlined in the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan. It showcases innovative initiatives, measurable outcomes and collaborative efforts taking place across county agencies and the community. 

Let’s step back and review a little background:

In November, 2020 the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) adopted the Climate Mitigation and Climate Resiliency goals: reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2030, sourcing 100% of countywide electricity from renewable sources by 2035, achieving 100% renewable energy in county government operations by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality in county government operations by 2050. 

Then, Prince William County Board of Supervisors authorized the creation of a Sustainability Commission and Sustainability Office.  The first step was to hire a consultant to develop the Community Energy and Sustainability Master Plan (CESMP), which was to provide the road map for how the county will reach its climate goals.

If you read the CESMP (which was adopted in 2023) you will see that there are no realistic scenarios that achieve those goals in the stated time frame. “It was found that due to limited span of control, all five goals will not likely be met through County action alone. It is expected that there would be a gap in emissions reductions needed to hit our 2030 target even if all 25 high priority actions are implemented. It is recommended that the actions are implemented to the best of the County’s ability and to evaluate whether or not to bridge the potential remaining emissions reductions gap using high quality carbon offsets in 2030.” Nonetheless, we need to work towards a more sustainable future, even if we cannot meet the goals in the allotted time frame.

The Office of Sustainability’s mission is to integrate environmental sustainability across county government and the community to help meet the needs of a growing and evolving county. Undeterred by the challenge, their work supports the Board of County Supervisors’ vision of meeting current community needs while protecting quality of life and resources for future generations. 

To date, 17 of the plan’s 25 high-priority actions have been initiated, with 10 currently in active implementation. A great journey begins with a single step. Prince William County has begun moving towards our future. 

“We are excited to share Prince William County’s first Environmental Sustainability Annual Report, which highlights our progress in clean energy, sustainable mobility and long-term planning,” said Giulia Manno, Director of the Office of Sustainability. “This report helps our community stay informed, celebrate achievements and identify opportunities to work together for continued progress.”  

Since 2015, more than 3,100 residential solar systems have been installed across Prince William County. The county has also registered more than 7,600 battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Since 2021, the county has installed 85 electric vehicle charging stations at county facilities. In addition, rooftop solar systems have been designed for several county buildings. 

The county is also making progress in protecting natural resources and improving environmental resilience. In early 2025, Prince William County completed the restoration of 4,785 feet along Powell’s Creek in the Montclair community, helping reduce flooding and improve water quality. Additionally, a Bandalong trash collection system installed in Neabsco Creek removed 2,185 pounds of debris in 2025, helping prevent trash from entering the Potomac River. 

“This report reflects our commitment to building a more sustainable and resilient Prince William County,” said County Executive Chris Shorter. “The progress highlighted here shows how we are putting our Strategic Plan into action while continuing to invest in the long-term well-being of our community.”

These are all very small steps compared to the challenges faced in achieving the climate and sustainability goals. The challenge was made more difficult by the vast expansion of approved data center operations in the county. Through 2023, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)  updated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Summaries show that Prince William County’s community-wide net emissions increased by 22% between 2005 and 2023.

Nonetheless, while total emissions rose by 22%, the county experienced a 42% growth in population since 2005. The per-capita climate footprint is shrinking. While individuals may be getting more efficient, the rapid scale of development is outpacing those gains. Emissions from commercial buildings (mostly data centers) and on-road transportation remain the primary contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions.

MWCOG notes that the county’s forests and trees currently sequester approximately 368,000 metric tons of carbon annually which offsets about 7% of emissions. However, the rapid development that the county has been experiencing has reduced the tree cover. The July 2025 Tree Cover Fact Sheet reported a net loss of 1,952 acres of tree cover on developed or developing lands. This was the result of losing 2,311 acres (largely to impervious surfaces like roads and buildings) while only gaining 360 acres through new growth or planting.

The tree canopy in the Metropolitan Washington region as a whole dropped from 51.3% in 2014 to 49.6% in 2023, local data suggests Prince William has consistently remained below the regional average and the MCOG regional goal of 50% canopy coverage.