Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

To the Editor:

I read the article “Gold mining bill passes Senate” in which, once again, Sen. (Mark) Peake voted against the bill, stating, “I believe we need to leave the issue to the representatives who are closest to the people. That is the Board of Supervisors in this case.” This is the same response from Sen. Peake that I heard when I spoke with him three years ago about the proposed mega landfill in Cumberland County. It doesn’t seem to matter to him that gold mining, landfills, etc. all affect our environment in an adverse way. The majority of the people in Sen. Peake’s district are on private well water. Yet, there is no provision in state or federal laws for protection of the private wells while there are laws protecting public wells.

The real concern here is — once our well water is contaminated, there is no means of fixing it. The contaminated water causes all kinds of health issues for humans and affects our wildlife. Just look at what is happening in Charles City. It is time for us, the citizens of Virginia, to unite and work toward protecting our environment.

We only have one, and it is not replaceable.

Betty Myers

Cartersville