Hello,

I am writing in about my thoughts on the gold mines that are poised to be open soon. 

I have seen based on past mining operations in Virginia that these mines can be toxic and are therefor dangerous to the public. When people become ill  en masse after a mine, factory, power plant, dumping ground is opened nearby, lawsuits against the state ensue. 
At a time when safe drinking water is being contaminated by a similar lack of care in Michigan and Missouri, this is a terrible time to be tampering with the drinking water Virginians rely directly upon. 
It simply seems unwise to endanger the James River and its watershed, which provides drinking water for 2.7 million people, brings millions of dollars into Virginia’s economy from commercial fishing, and attracts over 6 million visitors annually. 
this could endanger not just the lives of Virginians, but the economy long term. 

We all know the environment has not been doing well due to human innovation for a while now. We know it’s coming to a head. When we could so easily maintain the health of our watersheds and rivers and drinking water to millions of people, why not just do so? Why not avoid even more environmental damage that is so much harder to fix once the leaching of chemicals and toxins into the water has already begun? 
Sometimes, saving the environment can feel hard, like a big job. This is an opportunity to help save the planet by simply not allowing something to happen: not opening the mine.

Please help to save our beautiful Virginia watersheds and rivers as well as our residents who depend on this water for survival. 
Easy, affordable, and direct access to natural, clean drinking water is a human right. 

Thank you for your consideration, 

Orla Conway