On Monday, December 19th, The National Academy of Science (NAS) isscheduled to release their report: "Uranium Mining in Virginia". Thishighly anticipated report is being released just 22 days before the 2012General Assembly session.
The NAS report was commissioned by the Coal and Energy Sub-Committee on Uranium Mining and is intended to inform the debate onwhether or not to lift the ban.
The NAS contract stipulates a 5 month publicreview process from the date of the release, however, industry executives arerushing the process and have promised their stock holders they will introduce apiece of legislation in the 2012 session which runs from Jan through March2012.
Now is the time to show broad public support toKeep the Ban. Can you join us on December 19th?
Uranium Sub-Committee Meeting
When: December 19, 2011 1:30pm
Where: Virginia General Assembly Building,Richmond, House Room D
If you are planning to attend the meeting or ifyou would like additional information please email Mary.Rafferty@SierraClub.org
Don't Know About Uranium Mining inVirginia?
Virginia has a nearly 30 year ban on uraniummining. The industry is making a well financed push to lift that ban in theupcoming General Assembly session starting in January 2012. If the ban werelifted, processed uranium would be shipped out of state. Left behind forcenturies would be huge volumes of radioactive and toxic waste, disposed nearfarmlands and local waterways. Exposure to this waste has been linked toincreases in leukemia, kidney disease and other severe health problems.
Uranium mining in the U.S. has typically occurredin dry, sparsely populated climates in the arid Southwest. Virginia, on theother hand, has wet weather and is prone to extreme flooding and storms.Communities downstream from the first proposed site in Pittsylvania County(including Virginia Beach and Chesapeake) worry that a large storm, likeHurricane Irene, will overwhelm operations putting their drinking water at riskof radioactive contamination.
You can get more information and sign our petition at www.KeepTheBan.org
Read more:
http://vcnva.org/anx/
