What can you do with three minutes?

Last night, I went to the Surry County Public Hearings on whether to grant local zoning approval for the ODEC - proposed coal plant in Dendron, VA. The meeting began at 7:00pm and did not end until 11:45. I was really impressed with the fact that the council willingly stayed and listened to everyone. Here's what I had to say (which I managed to keep to three minutes or less, the allotted time given): 

Within the last two weeks there have been at least four different articles in the Virginia Pilot regarding mercury in our water and/or fish. One article in particular spoke of a report by Environment America which ranked our state #2 in the nation for the dirtiest waters. Yet another article announced that Lake Gaston walleye fish have been designated inedible due to high levels of mercury. Where does this mercury come from? Coal. 

This proposed coal plant will be built right in the middle of the very same water sheds that supply the Hampton Roads region with water. Why on EARTH would we willingly agree to poison ourselves? 

As the debate rages nationally in regards to healthcare, I have often wondered who will need healthcare if we don't have a land base? Our water is already horribly polluted as is our air & soil. This plant will only make these issues exponentially worse. As a mother of two young children, I want to know that we are working to fix these situations, not continue to dump fuel onto this ever-growing fire of pollution & destruction. We should be investing in renewable energy sources, not these antiquated destructive means of energy. I want to know that we are leaving our children a sustainable land base, not a polluted waste land. 

In closing, I'd like to leave you with the following Cree indian proverb: 

"Only when the last tree is cut

Only when the last river is polluted

Only when the last fish is caught

Only then will men realize that they cannot eat money"

They conducted the two public hearings and then decided to continue the rest of the proceedings until Dec. 14th. I would say that well over 50 people spoke and only about 10 people were for the proposal, if that. You can see those 10 people highlighted on ODEC's website. I must admit I had a really hard time refraining from pitching objects at the ODEC lawyer as he spoke, especially when I heard him refer to the environmental impact as being "passive and benign". It was overall an empowering experience and I am hopeful that the council will, at the very least, insist on an independent study being done before agreeing to the rezoning.