In the crosshairs
May 21, 2009
Dear Viewpoint:
Southside Virginia is being targeted as a sacrifice zone.
Don’t believe it? Take a look at this seemingly all-American video produced by the Virginia Energy Independence Alliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFScxZ8VozU
It touts bringing in jobs and securing our energy independence from other countries like Russia, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
Sounds all good, doesn’t it? The video shows pristine views of Southside Virginia. But where oh where are the mountains of radioactive tailings piles and chemical-laden holding ponds that will also come with uranium mining and milling. No panoramic views of them! And there’s no mention of air and groundwater pollution, sickness and cancer death that also follows the industry. All U.S. states, where the mining and milling of uranium has occurred, seek federal funding to cleanup the radioactive toxic waste left behind by the industry.
It also touts, “Support the Study” by the National Academy of Sciences which is to determine whether uranium mining and milling can be done safely in the state of Virginia. Seems the pro-mining groups already know what the study’s findings will be, doesn’t it?
Wake up, Southside! This may be a future that is a few years down the road in coming to fruition, but it’s just like the holidays each year, they finally arrive! I don’t want to move away from Southside to protect my family’s health, do you?
Scarier still, once the state of Virginia lifts the moratorium on the mining and milling of uranium, other uranium-rich areas beyond Southside will be subject to becoming sacrifice zones. Where will we move where the air and drinking water will be safe?
Anne Cockrell
Danville, Virginia
Read more:
http://www.sovanow.com/index.php?/opinion/article/in_the_crosshairs/
