Public Opposition to Destroying Rassawek

Below is documentation for consideration by the Army Corps of Engineers of the overwhelming public opposition to the plans of the James River Water Authority to destroy Rassawek, the historic capital of the Monacan Indian Nation, documented by Captain John Smith in 1612 and by the Smithsonian and many other in centuries thereafter. JRWA’s proposal to construct a water intake and pump station on top of and through Rassawek will disturb Monacan burials and destroy the archaeological and cultural integrity of the site of national importance.

Please direct inquiries to attorney Marion Werkheiser.

Background 

  • One page summary about the controversy, and why Rassawek is important (updated June 2, 2020).

Opposition from the Public

  • Transcript from the March 11 2020 James River Water Authority meeting, with around 100 attendees opposed to the project.
  • Public letter of support signed by more than 2,200 individuals and organizations asking the Corps and DHR to deny permits to this project: We are still accepting signatures on this letter.
  • Letter from the City of Richmond opposing the project (June 5, 2020).
  • Letter from Congressman Donald McEachin requesting an EIS and a public hearing (June 6, 2020).
 

Opposition from Tribes and Tribal Organizations

  • Letter from the National Congress of American Indians opposing issuance of the JRWA permit (June 7, 2020).
  • Resolution from the United Southern and Eastern Tribes urging preservation of Rassawek and requesting that the Corps find the project not in the public interest (June 5, 2020).
  • Letter from the National Trust for Historic Preservation (May 7, 2020).
  • Letter from the Upper Mattaponi Tribe (May 7, 2020).
  • Letter from the Pamunkey Indian Tribe (May 6, 2020).
  • Board Resolution from the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes affirming the importance of human burial places and asking the federal and state governments to ensure appropriate processes are followed (July 23, 2019).  

 Opposition from Conservation, Preservation, and Cultural Organizations

  • Letter from Preservation Virginia and the Southern Environmental Law Center opposing the project and requesting an EIS and a public hearing (June 4, 2020).

  • Letter from former Director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Kathleen Kilpatrick (June 4, 2020).
  • Letter from the retired Director of the Louisa County Historical Society, Elaine Taylor (May 29, 2020).
  • Letter from the Piedmont Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club requesting a public hearing (April 28, 2020).

  • Letter from the Southern Environmental Law Center and Preservation Virginia requesting an Environmental Impact Statement for the JRWA project (March 5, 2020).
  • Letter from Southern Environmental Law Center and Preservation Virginia explaining why JRWA must select another site (February 3, 2020)
  • Episcopal Resolution Requesting Reconsideration of Water Intake Site to Avoid Monacan Nation Ancestral Village and Grave Sites and to Provide Improved Protection of Graves of Native American and Enslaved People (November 16, 2019.
  • Take Action: The Sierra Club of Virginia’s Action Page sends an email to the Army Corps of Engineers asking them to protect Rassawek.
  • Letter from the Council of Virginia Archaeologists requesting the Corps review the project under an individual permit, incorporate archaeological peer review, and improve the Treatment Plan (September 9, 2019).
  • Letter from Preservation Virginia expressing concern with the review process for the project and with the planned agreement documents (June 5, 2019).
  • Letter from Preservation Virginia expressing concerns about the project and planned agreement documents (December 21, 2018).
  • Letter from Fluvanna Historical Society opposing the finalization of the planned agreement documents (December 14, 2018).
  • Letter from Virginia Canals & Navigation Society requesting that the Army Corps deny a permit for the JRWA project (December 21, 2018).
  • Letter from the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Committee on Indian Affairs (April 10, 2020).
  • Letter from DHR notifying JRWA that their burial permit application must include a revised research and data recovery plan. The plan must be developed by a qualified archaeological consultant and meet with approval from both DHR and the Monacan Indian Nation. (September 6, 2019)
 

Opposition from the Monacan Indian Nation

  • Letter to the JRWA requesting consideration of the Forsyth alternative route.
  • Monacan Nation will continue to fight, Letter to the Editor, Chief Kenneth Branham, Central Virginian, March 12, 2020
  • Open Letter from Monacan Chief Kenneth Branham to the Fluvanna and Louisa County Boards of Supervisors (March 5, 2020).
  • Analysis of the JRWA’s flawed and selective investigation of itself (January 30, 2020).
  • Letter to the Army Corps of Engineers notifying them of documents that show that JRWA approved misconduct at Rassawek (December 16, 2019).
  • Letter to the Army Corps of Engineers notifying them anticipatory demolition has taken place in violation of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Corps will be in violation of federal law if it grants a permit to JRWA. (October 21, 2019)
  • Sworn Declaration of Eric Mai, former employee of Circa~ Cultural Resource Management, LLC, detailing misconduct at Rassawek (October 16, 2019)
  • Remarks delivered at August 13, 2019 JRWA public meeting outlining the six mistakes JRWA has made to create this unfortunate situation.
  • Remarks delivered at the Army Corps of Engineers consulting party meeting on August 9, 2019 detailing the multiple failures of the Corps’s permitting process to date.
  • Op-ed in the Daily Progress from the Tribe urging preservation of Rassawek (June 23, 2019)
  • Comments of the Tribe urging the Army Corps of Engineers to require an individual permit instead of a nationwide permit, and to perform a legally required analysis of alternative locations to put the pump station (June 5, 2019)
  • Comments of the Tribe urging the Department of Historic Resources to deny the permit application from JRWA to dig up Monacan burials (July 23, 2019)

Opposition from Local Community Members

Press Coverage of Opposition (reverse chronological)

 urging pre