Comment: Great article! Attention Board of Supervisors, protect our county and find out the source of lead in our wells, pass an chemical trespass ordinance to protect our county!!
By Published by The Editorial Board
Published: April 19, 2009
Chatham-Blairs Supervisor Hank Davis wants to know why lead levels have been rising in the Gross family’s well in Sheva.
It’s a question everyone in Pittsylvania County should be asking.
To opponents of uranium mining in the county, the circumstantial evidence points to Virginia Uranium Inc.
VUI has drilled exploratory holes at Coles Hill to learn more about what is believed to be the largest uranium deposit in North America. Lead levels in the Gross’ well started to rise after the drilling started.
But that doesn’t prove anything. It only makes further investigation more important.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s caused by the uranium,” Davis said this week. “What’s important is finding what’s causing it and getting those people help.”
To get the basic questions answered, Davis wants the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Health to investigate. (yes, we need to find out answers now but the EPA's water laws are weak!)
That’s a smart use of public resources to answer questions that pertain to everyone who drinks well water in the county. We strongly urge other supervisors to get behind Davis on this issue. (yes, the Supervisors better stand up with Davis, and that means all of them!)
For its part, VUI has said that the Gross’ well is located upstream from Coles Hill and the exploratory drilling could not have been the source of the rising lead levels.
Today, we know of no scientific evidence that links VUI and its exploratory well drilling to any environmental problems in the area. The company deserves the benefit of the doubt.
But this well water issue has become a challenge for VUI — and Pittsylvania County.
For Virginia Uranium Inc., this accusation puts the company on the defensive as the state undertakes a study of the safety of uranium mining. We believe the company should join with Davis and the Board of Supervisors and ask for the EPA and the state health department to investigate.
For Pittsylvania County, this accusation is a test. Virginia Uranium has been accused of damaging local water wells. The Board of Supervisors has proclaimed that the company’s activities must not harm the community.
It’s time for definitive answers.
We don’t know why there were 2.83 parts per billion of lead in the Gross’ well before VUI started exploratory drilling, and why there were 17.9 parts per billion last September.
If the company had something to do with that, the community needs to know.
If the company had nothing to do with that, the community needs to know that, too.
It’s time for answers, and one way to get them is for the Board of Supervisors to follow Davis’ lead and bring in the outside help the county needs to get to the bottom of this issue.
http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/opinion/editorials/danville_editorials/article/its_time_for_supervisors_to_take_action/10490/
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Why does anyone think that "the company", the FOR PROFIT corporation that's being purchased by Santoy, a Canadian company, deserves the "benefit of the doubt"? Because, VUI/Santoy says they deserve it.
I SAY THE GROSS FAMILY AND THEIR NEIGHBORS DESERVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT! It is up to VUI/Santoy TO PROVE that they have nothing to do with poisoning the local water supply. Their drilling though the protective barrier of the uranium deposit is the only factor that has changed (other than the Gross family updates to their plumbing, consisting of PVC pipe - not a lead causing agent!)
VUI/Santoy drilled 1,500 feet down. Guess what folks? At that depth there is no uphill or downhill. The drilling goes below the surface topography. Their "uphill" argument doesn’t wash! Besides, Mr. Gross tells me that he has proof that his property is not uphill!
VUI/Santoy's knee jerk reaction: "It's not my fault" is a precursor to even more serious issues down the road if they are allowed to mine.
I can see it now: "It's not my fault the holding pond dam broke!"
"It's not my fault that God dumped 3" of rain on us, flooding the pits and the tailing piles!"
"It's not my fault that tornado and hurricane force winds blew dust, leaden with heavy metals, arsenic and radioactive material into your neighborhood so that you and your children, your animals, and local game breathed it in, creating a cancer cluster in Pittsylvania county and Danville!"
"And, it's certainly NOT our problem!"
"It is not our responsibility to keep you and your family safe from harm! That's up to you!"
"We are here to make money to patriotically keep our economy going!" "So, good luck with that!
"It's not us because WE SAY SO!"
GV
Post a Comment