Comment: A great letter!
By The Editorial Board
Published: January 10, 2011
To the editor:
The article, “Selection of panel kindles concern,” (Jan. 6, page A1), shows that Patrick Wales, Virginia Uranium’s project manager, must look for things over which to be upset about in connection with the attempt to mine uranium in Pittsylvania County.
His latest problem is the selection of RTI International by the Danville Regional Foundation as the “firm to assess the socioeconomic impacts of uranium mining” at Coles Hill.
Wales is upset because, he says, Virginia Uranium does not know who the experts were that provided feedback in the selection of RTI International.
Therefore, according to Wales, this study is not an open process and “… we’re supposed to take their word for it that these are honest people and they’re balanced?”
I think Wales is upset because, in my opinion, the 2,000-pound gorilla has just entered the ring and it is one that cannot be controlled by nor influenced by Virginia Uranium.
In any contest between RTI International and Patrick Wales, I do not believe Wales has one single chance of winning.
RTI International is about an hour’s drive south of Danville and it is a nonprofit that has been around since 1958; most people around here know the name and have at least a vague idea of what it does.
One of its major resources is the knowledge bank composed of the faculties and departments of nearby Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. State and North Carolina Central University.
RTI International was the entity chosen by EPA to assess the Love Canal situation. It has been chosen to work at localities around the world on health and environmental issues; for example, reducing air pollution in China prior to the Olympics. It has made contributions to fields as diverse as the development of the cancer drug Taxol and integrated circuit chips which were less expensive, faster and more powerful. It has worked with NASA on various projects.
RTI International has a very active clean and alternative energy section. Research in these fields has been funded by the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation as well as in cooperation with private companies. And RTI International has an Economics and Social Research Division which provides research to assist in economic and social development decision-making.
If uranium is mined in Pittsylvania County, it is already known there are possible deposits across the state line in North Carolina. So, North Carolina would likely face the question of possible uranium mining there.
Therefore, RTI International seems to me to be the perfect choice to do the socioeconomic study of the impact of uranium mining on our area.
HILDRED C. SHELTON
Danville, VA
Read more:
http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jan/10/rti-perfect-choice-social-study-ar-764849/
