Join the Campaign to Save the Pamunkey River

Despite being classified by The Nature Conservancy as "the most
pristine freshwater marsh habitat on the entire east coast" in the 1980s, of late the Pamunkey River has been the victim of uncontrolled growth and its attendant pollution. In 1999 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated the Pamunkey as an impaired waterway, and in early 2001 the U.S. Geological Survey reported that the Pamunkey River leads all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in the increase of pollutants from wastewater discharges during recent years.

The government of Hanover County, Virginia intends to exacerbate matters further by constructing a sewage discharge expandable to a capacity of 30 million gallons per day.

The site of the proposed discharge is spawning ground for the American Shad, a fish whose population has decreased so dramatically in recent years that a state-wide moratorium on eating them is in effect.
Approximately 15 miles downriver of the proposed discharge site, the
Pamunkey Indian Reservation operates a shad hatchery, the oldest fish
hatchery in the country. The tribe's efforts to restore the shad
population to historic levels could be jeopardized if Hanover succeeds
in building the discharge.

Furthermore, Hanover officials have shown disrespect for the
agricultural and historic resources threatened by the project. In June
of 2000, the Hanover Board of Supervisors seized a portion of historic
Newcastle Farm (a Virginia Historic Landmark) by eminent domain with the
intent to build the proposed discharge on the riverbank there. The same
family has farmed the land at Newcastle for more than 150 years over the
course of six generations. For more than four years, members of the
family have worked to dissuade Hanover from continuing with its efforts
to discharge sewage into the Pamunkey.

Despite pending litigation that challenges the legitimacy of Hanover's
permits for the proposed discharge, construction began on March 7, 2001.
Having less than 24 hours notice, more than 70 citizens showed up at
Newcastle Farm in the early morning hours in order to protest. Their
message:

Hanover County should not begin construction so long as questions remain
regarding the viability of discharging millions of gallons of sewage
each day into the Pamunkey River. Proceeding with construction now
impoverishes the due process afforded to citizens attempting to protect
their propertied interests and to preserve the Pamunkey River for the
enjoyment of future generations.

Please help spread this message across the Commonwealth.

For more information visit www.SaveOurRiver.org. Sign-up to receive
updates by sending email to "join@SaveOurRiver.org."