Letters to the Editor for Friday, September 18, 2009

A different perspective on biosolids
The Aug. 26 editorial in The News & Advance raising questions about the spreading of biosolids, or treated secondary sludge, appears to be based only on the letter provided to the Department of Environmental Quality by the Amherst County Board of Supervisors. That letter does not represent the preponderance of the scientific data available.

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I will not review my Jan. 21, 2007, op/ed column in The News & Advance that detailed the then-current science on biosolids and risk assessment. Last year, a panel convened by the governor’s staff reinforced those findings. The Aug. 26 editorial states that the Wright property is “next to the trail.” True, but the two are separated by several hundred feet, including the Piney River and a very steep gradient. The editorial then comments on the “folly” of spreading biosolids near the Piney River with implications of affecting the Chesapeake Bay. However, the probability of that occurring at the Wright site is nearly zero. And nitrogen and phosphorous simply do not translocate once applied to soils under the auspices of a nutrient management plan. Despite public opinion, scientists are well aware of the components of treated secondary sludge albeit not of specific batches.

The Wright site and the trail were examined by five professional scientists, including a physician. We agreed that odor may at times be noticeable on the trail. As a homeowner in suburban Philadelphia who used a dump truck of Class A biosolids on his front lawn — far in excess of the Wright Class B application rate — I can attest that biosolids may emit odors for up to two weeks following application, especially after a rain event.

If the public wants to ban biosolids application, then federal legislators need to change the law. It is surprising to see Amherst County change policy after several years. However, to imply that the financial investment in the trail will be adversely affected is simply not supportable as is the likelihood of ecological or human health impairment.

In full disclosure, I am a professor of environmental sciences at Sweet Briar College and am currently the biosolids monitor for Amherst County.
DAVID R. ORVOS
Amherst

The public plan
Senior citizens have long recognized the difficulty they will have under Obamacare. They will see their Medicare reduced, either through rationing or a doctor shortage created by reduced payments to doctors.

Other citizens probably haven’t considered the effect on their personal health care. Take, for example, the employees in our school systems.

Presently, school boards provide health insurance for teachers. They carefully seek a balance between the needs of teachers and the taxpayers who fund the schools. With the introduction of a government plan that is less expensive than their current plans, they will be tempted to save taxpayers taxes, whether the government plan is as comprehensive as the existing plan. The government plan would likely have the same rationing of health care or a doctor shortage similar to that anticipated for Medicare.

Before agreeing to support this government, ask Rep. Tom Perriello and U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb whether they would vote to have members of Congress put on the government plan. If the answer is no, tell them to either vote against it or you will make sure they are voted out of office.
TALBOT S. HUFF
Huddleston