Comment: Little nukes, don't worry, the big nuke dude in Washington will slip the money into VA Tech's little nest egg! No to uranium mining!
By John Crane
Published: December 4, 2009
Officials with the National Research Council have concerns about Virginia Uranium Inc.’s proposal to provide “incremental funding” for the study to determine whether uranium can be mined and milled safely in the commonwealth.
Anthony R. de Souza, director of the NRC’s Board on Earth Sciences and Resources, alluded to the NRC’s Governing Board Executive Committee’s concerns in a Nov. 23 letter to Michael E. Karmis, director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech.
But VUI Chairman Walter Coles Sr. said Friday the company would do whatever it takes to get the study going and would propose setting up an escrow account to pay for the $1.4 million study.
“Virginia Tech would draw on it as they need it,” Coles said, adding that VUI is able to pay for the study.
VUI, through Virginia Tech’s Center for Coal and Energy Research, would pay for the study’s first phase focusing on the technical and public-safety aspects of mining. The Center for Coal and Energy Research would handle the money and contract with the NAS for the study, while the General Assembly’s Coal and Energy Commission would be the study’s sponsor.
Messages left for Karmis on Thursday and Friday were not returned. Attempts to contact Delegate Terry Kilgore, head of the commission, have been unsuccessful.
However, the NRC said several issues must be addressed before the study proceeds, including “the requirement for independence of the NRC in carrying out the study” and “full transparency regarding the study’s funding.”
VUI would be transparent during the study process and respect the NRC’s independence, Coles said.
At least one uranium mining opponent says the study would not be fair.
“I seriously doubt it,” said Eloise Nenon, founding member of Southside Concerned Citizens, when asked if she believes the study would be objective.
The proposed study, Nenon said, “ignores the people, the communities, the traditions and our history. This is a very historic state.”
The first part of the study, covering the technical aspects of uranium mining and milling, cannot be the final say on whether uranium mining and milling can take place, Nenon said. The second part, examining the socioeconomic factors, still must be worked out.
That study has not been funded or even finalized.
Katie Whitehead, chair of the Dan River Basin Association Mining Task Force, said the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission should ask the NRC to perform the socioeconomic study.
“The appropriate behavioral science division of the NRC may well be able to help us look at real-life examples of communities that have experienced the introduction of controversial and stigmatized industries and help us understand the socioeconomic implications of introducing uranium mining and milling in Virginia,” Whitehead said via e-mail Friday.
Read more at:
http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/council_continues_concerns_with_uranium_study_funding/16073/
