Call to Action! West Point Paper Mill

Hope,

Here is a local/regional issue that will affect all of the Northern Neck --which I am sending in for Letters to the Editors. I hope a number of people from Northumberland Indivisible will write DEQ asking for a public hearing.

Sample:

To the Editor

Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality has announced that the West Point Paper Mill has applied for a renewal of their permit to withdraw more than 20 million gallons of groundwater a day. This may be something the community could support, but it would be awfully decent of the company to hold a public forum giving more information than the accompanying impact map which is not much different than one a few days earlier regarding a 5 million gallon withdrawal.

Is the proposed plan to reduce the withdrawals over a period of years real or only a paper exercise? How will it be done? What is the potential impact on areas that have been designated as critical?

DEQ has opened a comment period until May 24th during which citizens can ask for a public hearing. That would seem to be a small thing to ask since the withdrawals will come from the same aquifer as many of our private wells.

Details are on the DEQ website under WestRock CP.

Comments and requests for a public hearing should be addressed to Brian McGuirk at brian.mcguirk@deq.virginia.gov 804 698-4180.

Gayl Fowler

This is an issue that will affect EVERYTHING we hold dear here in the NNK. I've asked Gayl to search for pertinent information to guide us on this path. We do have a little bit of time - planning now, however, is essential. Stay tuned for further information.

Thanks,

Hope

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Hope C. Jackson

Despair Is NOT An Option