Release of Major Report on Uranium Mining in Virginia Triggers 5-Month Public Outreach Period
Coalition calls on 2012 General Assembly to take no action on the issue
Contacts:
Cale Jaffe, Southern Environmental Law Center, 434-760-0816
Dan Holmes, Piedmont Environmental Council, 571-213-4250
Mary Rafferty, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, 804-225-9113, ext 103
Andrew Lester, Roanoke River Basin Association, 434-250-1185
RICHMOND, VA – The Keep the Ban Coalition thanked the National Academy of Sciences today for the release of a detailed report examining the scientific, technical, environmental, human health and safety, and regulatory aspects of uranium mining, milling, and processing as they relate to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The lengthy report was commissioned by the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission and is part of an ongoing contract between the commission and NAS that includes a public outreach and public meeting period over the next five months. The report compiles research on uranium mining and waste disposal, but does not make any recommendations about whether Virginia should or should not allow uranium mining.
State law has maintained a nearly 30-year ban on uranium mining. Virginia Uranium, Inc., which wants to establish a uranium mine, mill, and waste disposal site in Pittsylvania County, is pushing the General Assembly to lift the ban in 2012, beginning with the drafting of regulations.
The coalition, however, maintains that the General Assembly should take no action toward developing regulations until after the NAS has completed its public outreach. In 2013, after the conclusion of that process, the General Assembly may decide to maintain the ban in perpetuity. Spending money to develop regulations that may never be needed is a waste of limited resources in a tight budget.
“Today marks the beginning of an extensive public engagement period. The General Assembly needs to honor the state’s contract with the NAS and reject any effort to draft regulations in 2012,” said Cale Jaffe with Southern Environmental Law Center. “You don’t put the cart before the horse. You don’t develop regulations before you’ve made the public policy decision on whether this industry can be safely regulated at all.”
“The industry has been unable to provide any examples of where uranium mining and milling have been done safely in a place with similar climate, geology and population density,” said Dan Holmes with Piedmont Environmental Council. “We remain doubtful that the National Academy of Sciences will be able to provide evidence that mining and milling in Virginia would be anything less than an experiment with the potential for disastrous results. The burden of proof remains on the industry.”
“We look forward to reading the report and urge all Virginians to learn more about this issue, which could affect citizens statewide,” said Andrew Lester, executive director of the Roanoke River Basin Association. “If the ban is lifted, drinking water from Virginia Beach to Fairfax County could be threatened, not just the communities in Southside. Every Virginian should be concerned about the impact uranium mining could have on their community.”
Thousands of Virginians and more than 80 government entities and public interest organizations have taken action indicating support for keeping the ban on uranium mining in Virginia, or for adopting a go-slow approach, including the Virginia Municipal League, the state chapter of the NAACP, Virginia Farm Bureau, the cities of Virginia Beach and Roanoke, Halifax County, Rappahannock County, Orange County, and the towns of Halifax and South Boston, among many others. (Click here for the current list.)
http://keeptheban.org/?page_id=1244
