Editor:

Don’t give up! This is the best advice I can give to the citizens of Cumberland and surrounding counties concerning the proposed mega landfill in Cumberland County. Several people I have spoken with feel it is a dead issue since the board of supervisors approved the host agreement for the proposed landfill and the judge in two different cases presented before him ruled in favor of the board of supervisors. All is not lost – we have to regroup and move forward.

There are several avenues still available to fight the landfill. For example, there is the appeals process. The person who filed these two lawsuits is already filing or seriously considering filing appeals. The person filing the suits addressed in court the right of the people to be heard under different various documents to include the Bill of Rights, the Virginia State Constitution and the Constitution of the United States.

The citizens of Cumberland County and others support this and firmly believe three people should not be able to make this big of a decision concerning our lives, our children lives, our environment, and our water supply without allowing us to petition and have the matter added to the ballot in November. Some of the land owners in the affected area filed legal documentation appealing the rezoning. This was just recently done and is still pending. There are other options open to those opposing this mega landfill to include letter writing. These letters should be sent to various people and organizations. For a complete list, visit LoveCentralVA.com.

Please note the address is not LoveCumberlandCounty, but CentralVA as this proposed landfill’s effects will be felt from our small county to the James River, to the Chesapeake Bay and have an effect on all of Virginia. Now is not the time to sit back and say it is a “done deal” but to get on the band wagon and fight. There is strength in unity.

Betty Rankin

Cartersville