Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Virginia Tech to handle money for southside Uranium study

Comments:  The French company needs to step down, France is not energy independent, is takes uranium from the poor country of Niger and other poor parts of Africa!  No to uranium mining@!!  Thanks Ms. Dix for her comments!  Please people make comments to the NAS about some of the picks, they are related to nuclear power or uranium minings which is a conflict of interest!

By Tara Bozick
Danville Register & Bee
Published: August 4, 2010

PITTSYLVANIA CO. - A provisional committee of 13 scientists and corporations was selected to conduct the scientific study to help Virginia’s leaders determine if uranium mining could be done safely in the state.

National Research Council staff chose the committee after a nomination process.

Now, the public has 14 days left to comment on the selections.

The committee will examine the scientific, technical, environmental, human health and safety and regulatory aspects of uranium mining, milling and processing in Virginia.
“For any of our reports, the committee tries to carry out its charge objectively and credibly,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Walsh for the National Academy of Sciences/NRC.

The National Research Council aimed to balance the scientific perspectives on the provisional committee and will review public comments, including those regarding bias or conflict of interest of the committee members, Walsh said. As part of the process, members will confidentially disclose potential sources of bias or conflict of interest. Conflict of interest for the NRC typically means financial ties.

The committee members must serve as volunteers and won’t be paid for the work, Walsh added.

The committee is scheduling its first meeting, where experts can go over their backgrounds and assess whether any other scientific expertise is still needed to address all the points of the study.

Virginia Tech will sponsor the $1.4 million study, handling the money and working with NAS. Virginia Uranium Inc. — the company that seeks to mine and mill uranium ore at Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County — is funding the technical study.

“It looks overall like a very accomplished group of scientists and professors have been selected,” said Patrick Wales, project manager for Virginia Uranium Inc.

The company is still evaluating the selections.

Danville resident Deborah Dix, who describes herself as a concerned citizen, commented the day the public comment period opened.

She’s not as encouraged by the selections.

“One of the most glaring conflicts of interest to me is Areva,” Dix said. “I believe it is a conflict of interest because they are a uranium mining corporation. They would benefit economically by taking uranium from Virginia.”

Comment online at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/
or send written comments, attention Uranium Mining in Virginia, to Division on Earth and Life Studies, 500 Fifth St. Northwest Washington D.C. 20001.

Read more:
http://www2.wsls.com/sls/news/local/new_river_valley/article/virginia_tech_to_handle_money_for_southside_uranium_study/115407/