The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) has added a public comment period to some in-person meetings. See below for instructions on how to participate and share your thoughts with EQAC during public comment periods.

How to Participate: 

• First, check the meeting section of the EQAC webpage for the date on which you’d be interested in speaking to EQAC to see if a public comment period is being held.
• Then, one week prior to the meeting, sign up to speak by:
  • using the public comment sign up form
  • emailing EQAC@fairfaxcounty.gov or
  • calling 703-324-7136, TTY 711.
• Sign-ups remain open until 12 p.m. on the day of the meeting and each meeting only allows a maximum of five (5) speakers for public comment. Speaker lists are first come, first served. If the date on which you’d like to speak is already full, staff will notify you.

Speaking Requirements:

• You may testify in-person or via pre-recorded video. The URL of the pre-recorded video must be sent to staff by 12 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Videos may be uploaded to Youtube, Vimeo, or Ustream. 
• You will be given a maximum of three (3) minutes to speak. 
• Unless approved by the EQAC Chair, you may not yield your time to other speakers.
• You may only address EQAC once during a six-month period.
  • For example, if you spoke at the February 2024 meeting during the public comment period, the next time you could address EQAC during public comment would be at the August 2024 meeting. Speaking at EQAC’s annual public comment meeting in January is exempt from this requirement. 
• When signing up to speak, you must provide the topic on which you’d like to speak. You may only speak on matters relevant to EQAC’s mission (to advise or advocate on matters affecting the quality of the environment of Fairfax County). Comments on matters such as items under litigation, personnel matters, and/or on comments regarding individuals will not be allowed.
• Any materials (ex: written, videos, PowerPoints, etc.) that you would like to share with EQAC in advance of the meeting must be sent by 12 p.m. on the day of the meeting to EQAC@fairfaxcounty.gov, delivered to EQAC’s support staff, or received via mail.
  • Staff reserves the right to screen materials. Any submissions containing profanity or other objectionable material will not be presented.

Not sure if you want to speak before EQAC?

• Written comments are always accepted. Written comments can be mailed to EQAC at 12000 Government Center Pkwy., Suite 533, Fairfax, VA 22035 or emailed to EQAC@fairfaxcounty.gov.  
• Additionally, anybody urging EQAC to consider a matter is welcome to work through an EQAC member. Typically, residents work with their district EQAC representative or an at-large member. They can request to speak to an EQAC member by emailing EQAC@fairfaxcounty.gov or calling 703-324-7136. Staff will forward any such request to applicable EQAC members. It is the EQAC’s member's decision whether to bring any matter to the council for consideration.