Why did they make us wait?

Comment: We want our State and our County to BAN URANIUM MINING AND MILLING!

To the editor:

Finally, the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors has resolved that “… no damage or harm will be done to Pittsylvania County, its business, institutions, environment and its citizens by uranium mining, as opposed to a cost-benefit approach to this issue or simply accepting minimal damage …”

So, thank you to the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors for listening to the concerned citizens who elected you to office (though it certainly took a while).

Thanks to all of the many citizens who attended the hearings, wrote letters and e-mails and made calls to the Board of Supervisors and other elected officials at both the local and state level in Virginia and North Carolina, sent letters to the editors of the many news publications and networks in Virginia and North Carolina, collected signatures on petitions, displayed a yard sign and “talked up” the issue with your family, friends and neighbors.

And, we cannot overlook the great amount of time spent by Southside Concerned Citizens and their key players for the relentless work on their part to help protect us all — thanks to each of you.

We have a very long road ahead of us in this fight to protect the environment of Pittsylvania County and surrounding counties in Virginia and North Carolina.

This is a small — but promising — victory that perhaps everyone is finally beginning to understand the seriousness of allowing uranium mining and milling to occur in our backyard … that, for generations to come, it will cause destruction of the environment (air, soil and water quality), an increase in serious health issues for humans and animals, including livestock, a decline of property values and subsequently economic growth.

Keep talking and writing about your concerns.

And, both thank and support the Southside Concerned Citizens, The Alliance and other environmental organizations that are working to keep our Earth and neighborhoods a safer place to live.

DEBORAH L. GUERIN BARKSDALE
Chatham