Buckingham County
Can We Protect Ourselves from Toxic Trespass?
Buckingham County residents are concerned about the threat of industrial gold mining. Three sites are targeted by Aston Bay, a Canadian exploratory mining company, one in the Warminster Rd community, one an abandoned mine, and a new, unknown site.
August 2022 we proposed to the Buckingham Board of Supervisors a common sense Community Bill of Rights called:
“Ordinance Requiring an Assessment of the Compatibility of Metallic Mining with the Right to Freedom from Toxic Trespass.“
Read the proposed ordinance HERE.
This bill declares:
- The right and responsibility to make decisions locally to protect our communities.
- The right and responsibility to protect ourselves and our water, air and land from toxic trespass, which we know industrial mining would bring.
- The requirement for a metallic mining company to “Prove It First”. The company would first have to provide proof of at least one metallic mine that did not cause harm – inspired by past Wisconsin and pending Minnesota law.
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Support the ordinance.
BUCKINGHAM COUNTY RESIDENTS:
Please speak up for the rights-based toxic trespass ordinance!
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Are you concerned about how industrial gold mining would affect your environment and your rural way of life? See Gold mining fact sheet.
We gathered close to 1,000 signatures for a petition supporting the rights-based toxic trespass ordinance. In August 2022, we presented to the Buckingham Board of Supervisors (BoS), requesting passage into law.
We have led a letter writing campaign to the Farmville Herald and steady input at the monthly BoS meetings since August. The Supervisors do not want gold/metallic mining. But they need convincing to pass the rights-based ordinance.
TAKE ACTION: Please urge your supervisor to pass the ordinance and let the entire Board hear from you during the monthly meetings public comment! Sign up to speak 5:30-5:55 pm. Click here for the schedule, agenda, etc. Questions? Please reach out to us!
Check out Friends of Buckingham (FoB) gold mining page for lots of good information. We are partnered in this project. Sign up for FoB newsletter updates.
Check out this 2-minute video, “Prove it First!“ This video is about copper-sulfide mining. Other metallic mining, such as gold, has the same harmful impacts on our bodies and our air, water and soil! Also check out: 5 Things to know about Prove it First.
Virginia Community Rights Network (VACRN) has been guiding these efforts and has partnered with the grassroots Friends of Buckingham (FoB), who successfully helped to shut down the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Buckingham mega compressor station in July, 2020 after 6 long years. For more information about the metallic mining campaigns in Buckingham and statewide, go to the FoB Ban Gold Mining page.
Media Center
Mercury (the silvery portion) settled at the bottom of a water sample from a mine reclamation site. © Karen Kasmauski / iLCP
Check out this well-informed and beautifully photographed StoryMap by the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) “Struck Gold in Virginia”. Published April 13, 2023
Ben Price presents to the Buckingham Board of Supervisors 11/15/22: Adopt both a rights-based ordinance to protect our freedom from toxic trespass and a land-use ordinance. Start at 16:50. Stay on for public comments.
Ben Price: Why adopt a rights-based ordinance to protect our freedom from toxic trespass?
“Support is growing for a local ordinance, a Community Bill of Rights that would protect us from the toxic trespass of gold mining. We are worth more than all the gold in the world.” Mindy
“This study was not authorized to help Virginia welcome in new industry. Rather your report is intended to help Va decide how to respond to industry interests in locating mining operations here.” Claire Horan, SELC
Gold Mine Update Nov 18 2021
Buckingham County, VA: 122 minute video
What is Prove it First?
Protect Clean Water
Friends of the Boundary Waters
2 Minutes, March 25, 2021
“A common sense requirement for any company should be to Prove it First – show us another similar mine that has caused no harm to that community – Before granting a permit.” Heidi Dhivya
Abhaya Thiele speaks to NAS gold mining study committee.
Josh Vana speaks to NAS gold mining study committee.
Gold Mine Update Nov 18 2021
Buckingham County, VA: 122 minute video
Potential Impacts of industrial gold mining in Virginia
National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Listening Session on May 25, 2022 at the Buckingham Community Center, Dillwyn, VA
“Money is more important than the welfare of the people” Marie Flowers
Kenda Hanuman presents to NAS gold mining study committee.
How Virginia’s Gold Could Harm Your Community
Gold mining webinar
Thursday March 18, 2021
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