Virginia's lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework and insufficient bonding requirements lay a dangerous foundation for an industrial scale extractive industry to put public health and drinking water at risk. The Canadian metal mining prospecting company pulled water in Buckingham from Sycamore Creek, a tributary to the James River, without any county oversight. Industrial metals mining, including gold mining, is notorious for polluting water resources.

You need only watch tonight's NBC news to see the results of large scale surface gold mining in Peru. The world does not need more gold- it needs more protection for our dwindling natural resources and equilibrium.

Thank you