Residents encouraged to take surveys on Fairfax County’s Energy and Climate Action Plan

Solar panels, like the ones on this Annandale roof, are an increasingly common sight in Mason District.

Fairfax County is asking residents to take three surveys to inform county staff on how they feel about climate change issues. 

The surveys will provide feedback as the county develops its first-ever Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP).

One survey is on energy and another is on transportation, development, and waste. Those are short, multiple-choice surveys. The third survey includes open-ended questions on the climate planning process in general. 

The surveys will close at 11:59 p.m. on March 14. People can take them in Spanish, Korean, or  Vietnamese, as well as English. 

In Fairfax County, energy use and transportation are the two greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The surveys address such issues as which incentives would be most helpful for getting people to use less energy and reduce their reliance on driving. 

The CECAP will include a greenhouse gas inventory and targets for greenhouse gas reduction in the coming years. It will also outline actions and strategies to help mitigate climate change and reduce the impact of climate-related events on county residents and businesses. 

Related story: Fairfax County seeks public input on action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The CEAP is administered by the county’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination with support from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the management consulting firm ICF. 

It is being developed with help from an Energy and Climate Working Group composed of leaders from the business community, local and regional nonprofits, and residents from each of the nine Fairfax County supervisory districts. The final plan will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for adoption.