Sustainability Summit Brings Six D.C. Schools to Catholic University -

The Spring 2026 Student Sustainability Summit, sponsored by the D.C. College and University Sustainability Pledge and the city Department of Energy and the Environment, was hosted by Catholic University in Washington D.C. The event gathered student sustainability leaders and university staff from several D.C. colleges to discuss various environmental initiatives. A central presentation by Catholic University students Helen Hrazanek, Estella Elkis, and Christina Gutierrez focused on the accelerated data center development in Northern Virginia. They detailed the adverse effects this growth has had on the environment and the quality of life for residents in affected areas. The presentation additionally covered legislative proposals and bills that were deliberated during the recently concluded 2026 session of the Virginia General Assembly, which aimed to manage data center expansion and mitigate its associated environmental harms.