Landfills, lawyers and inmates: Letters to the Editor for July 23
Published 6:28 am Wednesday, July 23, 2025
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This landfill is not progress
Dear Editor,
I write to you today not as a politician, but as a neighbor, a citizen, and a proud resident of Cumberland County who believes in the right of our community to shape its own future—not have it dumped on us. Literally.
As many of you know, the Green Ridge landfill project is once again being brought before us. A new Conditional Use Permit (CUP) will be considered by the Board of Supervisors on Monday, July 28, 7 p.m., at the Cumberland High/Middle School Cafetorium. This meeting may very well determine the long-term fate of our land, our water, and our children’s future. I urge every concerned citizen to be there and to speak from the heart.
Let me be clear: I strongly oppose this landfill! And I know many of you do too. You’ve voiced your concerns—about water contamination, truck traffic, public safety, property values, and the image this sends about what kind of community we are. You are not alone, and you are not wrong.
Some like to dismiss our opposition as a simple case of “Not In My Backyard.” But I want to say this directly: What’s worse than ‘Not In My Backyard’ is the attitude of ‘I don’t care, because it’s not in mine.’ That kind of indifference is what allows powerful interests to bury their mess in communities they assume won’t fight back.
We are being asked to bear the burden of other counties’ trash—for decades—so that a private company can profit. In return, they promise us a few jobs and some modest revenue. But Cumberland deserves more than leftover promises and landfill leachate. We deserve real investment, real opportunity, and real respect.
We do not need to sacrifice our rural identity, our health, or our dignity to survive economically. We can—and we must—pursue a better vision for our future: one rooted in agriculture, entrepreneurship, clean industry, and infrastructure that lifts up all our people.
This landfill is not progress. It’s surrender. And Cumberland County doesn’t surrender.
I urge every resident who cares about our county’s future to attend the July 28th meeting. Stand up. Speak out. Let your voice be heard, and let’s remind those in power: We are Cumberland, and we say no to Green Ridge.
Sincerely,
Bryan Hamlet
Cumberland County Board of Supervisors
District 1
Trending
It’s time to do what is right
A week from today, on July 28th, the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the new conditional use permit (CUP) concerning the proposed Green Ridge landfill in Cumberland County. Just last Wednesday/Thursday the County released to the
public the latest revision of the CUP and the Second Amended Host Agreement.
That brings into question first, did they provide ample time for the public to learn the documents are available on the website, and second for the public to be able to review the documents in depth and compare to previous versions of the document? The overwhelming answer is no.
Like stated in a recent article in the Herald, why such a rush to get things passed? Could it be the previous CUP approved in June 2018 provided 7 years for Green Ridge to get the permits and have the proposed landfill operational – a goal that has not be met. Could it be the
DEQ continues to review Green Ridge’s Part B application even though the application is not supported by a legal Host Agreement and/
or CUP and Green Ridge is pressuring the County to get the documents approved.
It is time for the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors to do what is right and tell Green Ridge no and just terminate the entire project.
Green Ridge did not live up to the original agreements and what has changed to indicate they will live up to the new/revised agreements? The
Board of Supervisors has done nothing over the last seven years to prevent Green Ridge from obtaining the needed permits to meet the terms
of the original agreement; therefore, they should not be worried about being sued by Green Ridge. Board of Supervisors, do what is right
to protect the people you represent, our environment, our water, and our way of life and just say no – one simple word with a lot of power.
Betty Myers
Cartersville
Trending
Why not one set of rules for everyone?
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the Tommy Wright column in the July 9 edition of The Farmville Herald titled “Earned Sentence hurts Virginia.”
I agree that Enhanced Earned Sentence Credit (known as ESC2) as applied in Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is a failure but not for any reasons you Delegate Tommy Wright presented in your editorial of July 9, 2025. The truth of the matter is that an eligible inmate only qualifies for ESC2 on specific non-violent charges and any specific charges where an attempt or conspiracy was the charge. So to say a rapist or murderer was released early is flat incorrect but yes an attempted rape or as you said “A police officer nearly run off a cliff” is not murder therefore non-violent only attempted, perhaps. The real reason the ESC2 fails is for two distinct reasons in my personal observation as an incarcerated individual with an education can provide: 1. The VADOC only requires an inmate to save up to $1,000 in their savings before going home; and 2. The non-violent offenders don’t really need to fit any criteria to earn those ESC2 or 15 days of good time off for every 30 days served.
The system as a whole need to be overhauled because of many reasons which this letter can not address in totality, but first inmates can not make it in the world today coming home with only $1,000 to their name, they should be required to save a minimum of $3,000 and if they are working or get funds from family and friends 15% of each deposit should be placed into their Inmate Trust Account until the funds in savings reaches $3,000.
Secondly, I believe no one should be capable of earning such good time unless you meet the following requirements:
Inmate has a GED and maintains a work history within the facility for one year; Inmate can earn more good time if he is in a specialty or skilled job (like me as a tutor); Inmate remains charge/infraction free for each year; Inmate completes Vocational Education course; Inmate obtains any license in specific field such as Electrical or HVAC or Plumbing, etc.; lastly Inmate completes college or certified program of higher education.
Education changes people. Sitting anyone down to serve time in a drug and alcohol warehouse does nothing for the person or the community. Lastly, check the facts on those early released individuals, most were drug convictions and most came back for drug charges, fraud or theft. Left prison with a habit, no money and no education because it is not mandatory to get help for the drug problems.
Otherwise, yes, you must fix the law and you must speak facts and figure out why the state has more than five ways to get out of prison early rather than one set of rules for everyone. Bring back parole.
Chad Miller
Inmate at BKCC
Dillwyn