Following the Expert Panel Report released by DEQ, yesterday, Virginia Interfaith Power & Light (VAIPL) released our final report on the findings of the Community and Faith Leader’s Fact-Finding Delegation to Bristol, VA. VAIPL released this report to the Bristol community members and the faith leaders that participated in the delegation. The report includes impacted community highlights and recommendations to mitigate the negative health impacts associated with the landfill and is available on our website.
On March 29th, 2022, faith leaders traveled from across the state to Bristol, VA, for a Community and Faith Leaders Fact-Finding Delegation. Sixteen representatives from Newport News, Hampton, Petersburg, Richmond, Greenville, and Roanoke traveled to Bristol City, Virginia. They met with community delegates from the southwest region of the state, swelling the number to forty attendees.
The gathering was an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with Bristol faith leaders and address social and environmental justice problems related to the Bristol City Landfill. The top findings of the report highlight how emissions from the landfill threaten the health and quality of life of low-income residents, Black residents, the elderly, and children of the twin cities. This report is groundbreaking because it showcases how the landfill has inequitably impacted Bristol’s most vulnerable communities.
We hope this report shines a light on the environmental injustice and the experiences of the Bristol community that is impacted by the landfill. You can access the report here: https://vaipl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Faith-Community-Fact-Finding-Delegation-to-Bristol-VA-Report.pdf
For more information on the Bristol Landfill, visit the VAIPL’s website at https://vaipl.org/bristol-landfill/