Published: March 19, 2012
A state work group that is studying uranium mining issues and
developing a conceptual regulatory framework will take public comments at
meetings, including at one in Chatham in June.
Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Chief of Staff Martin Kent and senior
adviser on energy Maureen Matsen emphasized public opportunities for comment
during a media teleconference Monday afternoon after media reports criticized
the group’s openness and transparency after its presentation to a legislative
subcommittee on March 7.
While the public will not be privy to the multi-agency work
group’s deliberations, the public and lawmakers will receive updates at four
meetings of the uranium mining subcommittee of the Virginia Coal and Energy
Commission. Each meeting will report on specific topics, like uranium mine
permitting, air and water monitoring, mill licensing and storage of radioactive
waste and worker safety along with associated draft rule changes or conceptual
regulation.
Matsen, who is taking the lead on the group’s work, said a
bibliography of materials used for each update, as well as a summary of the work
group’s own meetings, will be reported at the legislative subcommittee meetings.
Information received by experts to assemble the preliminary reports will be made
available after each update, said Jeff Caldwell, McDonnell’s press
secretary.
People can submit comments or questions through the group’s
website, through letters and at the uranium subcommittee meetings. Comments will
be made available for the public to view online and will be used in the group’s
work, Matsen said.
After the governor reviews the study, a final report will be
sent to the General Assembly and made public, Caldwell said.
Kent said the work group is doing updates rather than keeping
the public abreast “at the moment” to ensure neutral presentation of various
pieces of information and how they fit together in the big picture “puzzle.”
The release of the National Academy of Sciences’ uranium study
in December raised more questions than answers, Kent explained, and so uranium
mining subcommittee members asked for more information to better evaluate safety
in relation to how the state could mitigate risks.
But Executive Director Megan Rhyne of the Virginia Coalition
for Open Government, a nonprofit advocacy group for access to government records
and meetings, questioned why the work group couldn’t hold its discussions in the
public eye. If the group is withholding information because it’s worried how
people may misinterpret it, then it underestimates the intelligence of the
public, she added.
“Everyone needs to have access to the same information to make
the best and most informed choice,” Rhyne said.
Delegate Don Merricks of Pittsylvania County, recently named a
member of the uranium mining subcommittee, would still like answers to the
public’s questions on the group’s website.
The work group plans to present analysis regarding mine
permitting, environmental monitoring, mine waste disposal and mine site
reclamation at 6 p.m. June 18 in Chatham, tentatively scheduled to be at Chatham
High School.
Other meetings will be held in August, October and November.
To comment online, visit www.uwg.vi.virginia.gov and click
“Contact Us” or send written comments to Uranium Working Group at 1100 Bank St.,
Eighth floor, Richmond VA 23219.
Read more:
