By DEL. DON MERRICKS
16th District | Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 9:37 am
Uranium mining and milling in the Commonwealth of Virginia is a very divisive issue.
I have tried to keep an open mind and listen to all sides and all concerns.
I have waited until the much-anticipated studies have been released and have painstakingly read through all of them.
I have publicly said that until someone independently proves to me beyond the shadow of a doubt that mining and milling could be done safely without any adverse effects on the environment, the economy, or the safety of individuals, then I would not support lifting the ban.
In addition, I have publicly said that I would not vote to fuel America at the expense of Pittsylvania County.
There is no one more painfully aware of the need for jobs in our area than I am.
We desperately need jobs that pay a decent wage and will provide incomes and benefits for our citizens.
It would be easy for me to argue this point and support lifting the ban in order to grow our economy.
But as with most things, the devil's in the details, and it's the details, or lack of details, that concern me the most.
This brings us to where we are today.
The risks associated with mining and milling are real.
Water is a precious resource and the potential contamination of wells and streams are serious risks that need to be fully mitigated before any thought of mining and milling be considered.
The process itself will require large amounts of water and will potentially deplete the water in surrounding wells.
All of these issues need to be fully investigated and dealt with before any decision on lifting the ban is considered.
Even with all the best management practices in place with state-of-the-art monitoring and filtering systems, there will still be a possibility of environmental contamination.
What is the level of risk we are willing to take in order to allow mining and milling?
While there are risks we take every day, the risks associated with mining and milling will have severe consequences should appropriate steps not be taken to deal with these risks.
If only one thing can be interpreted from all these studies, it is the fact that there needs to be more study.
The NAS study came to the conclusion that the only viable site that would be economically feasible to mine uranium in Virginia is the Coles Hill site in Pittsylvania County.
Based on the NAS study, the Coles Hill site would in essence be a "guinea pig" as there are no other sites comparable to this site where successful mining and milling of uranium have occurred.
If it is the desire of the Commonwealth of Virginia to pursue mining and milling of uranium in Pittsylvania County, then a site-specific study should be done by an independent vendor in order to make a more informed decision.
Having considered all the above along with the potential negative impact mining would have on our community, I cannot in good conscience support lifting the ban with all of these unanswered questions still looming.
Del. Donald W. Merricks of Pittsylvania County represents the 16th District in the House of Delegates. He is a Danville businessman.
Read more:
http://m.wpcva.com/mobile/opinion/article_c9a97ff8-36e1-11e1-b815-0019bb2963f4.html
16th District | Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 9:37 am
Uranium mining and milling in the Commonwealth of Virginia is a very divisive issue.
I have tried to keep an open mind and listen to all sides and all concerns.
I have waited until the much-anticipated studies have been released and have painstakingly read through all of them.
I have publicly said that until someone independently proves to me beyond the shadow of a doubt that mining and milling could be done safely without any adverse effects on the environment, the economy, or the safety of individuals, then I would not support lifting the ban.
In addition, I have publicly said that I would not vote to fuel America at the expense of Pittsylvania County.
There is no one more painfully aware of the need for jobs in our area than I am.
We desperately need jobs that pay a decent wage and will provide incomes and benefits for our citizens.
It would be easy for me to argue this point and support lifting the ban in order to grow our economy.
But as with most things, the devil's in the details, and it's the details, or lack of details, that concern me the most.
This brings us to where we are today.
The risks associated with mining and milling are real.
Water is a precious resource and the potential contamination of wells and streams are serious risks that need to be fully mitigated before any thought of mining and milling be considered.
The process itself will require large amounts of water and will potentially deplete the water in surrounding wells.
All of these issues need to be fully investigated and dealt with before any decision on lifting the ban is considered.
Even with all the best management practices in place with state-of-the-art monitoring and filtering systems, there will still be a possibility of environmental contamination.
What is the level of risk we are willing to take in order to allow mining and milling?
While there are risks we take every day, the risks associated with mining and milling will have severe consequences should appropriate steps not be taken to deal with these risks.
If only one thing can be interpreted from all these studies, it is the fact that there needs to be more study.
The NAS study came to the conclusion that the only viable site that would be economically feasible to mine uranium in Virginia is the Coles Hill site in Pittsylvania County.
Based on the NAS study, the Coles Hill site would in essence be a "guinea pig" as there are no other sites comparable to this site where successful mining and milling of uranium have occurred.
If it is the desire of the Commonwealth of Virginia to pursue mining and milling of uranium in Pittsylvania County, then a site-specific study should be done by an independent vendor in order to make a more informed decision.
Having considered all the above along with the potential negative impact mining would have on our community, I cannot in good conscience support lifting the ban with all of these unanswered questions still looming.
Del. Donald W. Merricks of Pittsylvania County represents the 16th District in the House of Delegates. He is a Danville businessman.
Read more:
http://m.wpcva.com/mobile/opinion/article_c9a97ff8-36e1-11e1-b815-0019bb2963f4.html
