'The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government." --Thomas Jefferson
Reflecting on Thomas Jefferson's words will bring sobering reality to citizens who are looking for solutions to environmental health, resolution to pollution and preservation of natural resources for best use. Unless the governing body is educated in environmental health and how profoundly it impacts our children, their health, our community and all who lives within the chain of pollution there is little chance the environment will be protected. When a politician says "I am for the environment but I am for business also". This has the connotation that it will be pollution without consideration for the environment. The Bluestone River begins in Tazewell County, Virginia. It is fitting that the very beginning of conservation of this River begin by those who live in the headwaters of the historic River. The waterway is a valuable resource and is not to be used as a sewage system. The citizens, state and federal agencies who protect our natural resources should all have consideration when best use and protection of a stream or waterway is at stake. This has not been past practice. We hope that with due consideration of citizens and influential community leaders this will be corrected. With this in mind, I ask all citizens and members of conservation groups to bring awareness to those who serve the citizens as officials to bear in mind that conservation is an inalienable right of all. Pollution is an insidious destruction of civilization and a world class society must not allow pollution to become the accepted mentality. Citizens must become involved to assure local, regional, state and federal government do more in clean up of rivers and protecting the streams from pollution. Using funds wisely and prudently. If not, then the citizen is as negligent as those who squander and mismanage. Tazewell County, Mercer and Summers growing and developing. Do we have adequate infrastructure? Is there adequate sewage treatment facilities for the development? Are sewage lines and sewage treatment plants available to adequately sustain the planned growth? Is there an overall plan which will keep the citizen's health and happiness foremost in this growth? Ask your officials and if not satisfied with the answers or facts then become more active in your government and the appointment or election of those who serve.
The Bluestone River is a category five impaired river. Protection is necessary. Prevention of pollution with risks of disease and destruction of a valuable natural resource must be corrected.
The Bluestone River is the drinking water for the residents of Bluefield, Virginia, Lerona, Pipestem Resort and Princeton, West Virginia. In the recent history millions of gallons of sewage have been discharged into the Bluestone. Yes, that is correct; millions of gallons of raw sewage. However, the pollution is now our problem and the solution is upgraded sewage treatment facilities, pipes which are run at a distance from the River with buffers to prevent accidental discharge into the River.
If the aquatic life cannot live in the water then what about the epidemics of parasites and disease which comes with such a stream! A category five impaired stream is the worst polluted stream there is. We have done this in the few short miles of the Bluestone. Warnings not to eat the fish due to PCB contamination in their flesh, warnings not to swim or wade would also be sustainable. These waters are the very headwaters to a formerly pristine and historic River. Insanity is continuing to do the same and expect a different result. Let's stop the insanity, teach good river stewardship and stop the pollution..
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