July 25, 2012
NORFOLK
The City Council called unanimously on Tuesday for a continuation of the state's moratorium on uranium mining to safeguard rivers and reservoirs that provide Norfolk's drinking water.
"This is a vote for us to stand up for the system and against anything that may somehow taint the quality of the water," Mayor Paul Fraim said after the vote at the council's regular meeting.
Fraim said the action intentionally echoed a similar resolution approved by Virginia Beach last month against mining and milling uranium ore.
Norfolk Director of Utilities Kristen Lentz told the council before its vote that the proposed Coles Hills uranium mining project is near a river that drains into Lake Gaston, which feeds Norfolk's water supply.
But she said if contamination occurred, lawsuits could prevent Norfolk from pumping water out of Lake Gaston for an extended period, squeezing the city's water supplies. Safety violations by the mining industry could also jeopardize that supply.
Fraim said the city's water system serves 700,000 people a day, including naval bases. "We're very protective of that system," he said, and cautious about anything that might interfere with the water quality.
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/07/norfolk-council-backs-uranium-mining-moratorium
