Uranium Working Group to hold meeting in Chatham
http://www.wpcva.com/news/article_692a9042-d66c-11e1-b624-0019bb2963f4.html
Posted: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 11:21 am
Uranium Working Group to hold meeting in Chatham By TIM DAVIS
Star-Tribune Editor Chatham Star Tribune
The governor’s Uranium Working Group will hold a joint meeting with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday, Aug. 2, in Chatham.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex on U.S. 29.
David McIntyre, a public affairs officer with the NRC, said the meeting will focus on the federal agency’s role in regulating a proposed uranium mill in Pittsylvania County.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission does not regulate uranium mining, which is a state issue.
“We want to reassure people that if Virginia decides to lift the moratorium and if NRC receives a mill application, that we will go over the application tooth and nail to ensure that the proposed facility meets our strict standards for protecting public health and safety, and the environment,” said McIntyre. “We want them to know that we will be asking the same questions they are, and that the public will have several chances to participate in the process.”
Virginia Uranium Inc. announced plans in 2007 to explore mining the Coles Hill uranium deposit, which was discovered in the 1970s.
Located about six miles northeast of Chatham, it is believed to be the largest uranium deposit in the United States and is worth an estimated $7 billion.
Company officials said the uranium mine and mill would support more than 1,050 jobs and provide an annual economic impact of $135 million over 35 years.
Opponents, however, are concerned about the stigma of uranium mining as well as the potential environmental impact on air and water.
An independent federal agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created by Congress in 1974 to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment.
The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements.
NRC speakers at the Aug. 2 meeting will include:
Larry W. Camper, director of the NRC’s Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, which regulates uranium recovery, decommissioning of nuclear power plant and materials facilities (including uranium recovery facilities), low-level waste disposal, and environmental reviews.
Camper will give an overview of the NRC’s uranium recovery program, including the various scientific disciplines involved and the number of applications under review and expected in the near to medium-term future, McIntyre said.
William von Till, chief of the Uranium Recovery Branch, will present the regulatory framework — the process by which NRC would review a uranium mill application for Virginia Uranium, the milling process, waste (tailings) management, and history of uranium milling in the eastern United States.
He will also address several questions that have been presented on the Uranium Working Group web page and posed directly to NRC, such as protections against breaches in the tailings ponds and protection against floods, said McIntyre.
Duncan White, chief of the Agreement States Branch in the Division of Materials Safety and State Agreements, will explain the process for amending state agreements in case Virginia decides to take over regulatory authority for uranium milling from the NRC, McIntyre said.
Gov. Bob McDonnell established the Uranium Working Group earlier this year to examine health and safety concerns, environmental questions, and the economic impact from uranium mining.
The group includes experts from the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy along with a Colorado consulting firm, Wright Environmental Services.
Wright will be paid more than $1 million in two separate contracts with the three state agencies.
The Uranium Working Group held the first of five public meetings in June at Chatham High School.
About 250 people attended the three-hour meeting, which focused on mine permitting, environmental issues, engineering designs and best management practices, disposal of mine waste, and mine site reclamation, compliance and enforcement.
Cathie J. France, deputy director of energy policy for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, described the working group’s role as a “fact-finding mission” and said the study will include a site-specific analysis of Coles Hill.
“There have been a lot of studies done and those studies have raised a lot of questions,” she said. “We have not made any conclusions. We will not take a position one way or the other on whether the ban should be lifted. The information we provide will be used by decision-makers.”
NRC presentation August 2
The PowerPoint slides for the NRC presentations next Thursday in Chatham are now available online at this page: http://www.nrc.gov/materials/uranium-recovery/public-meetings/2012/
click on "meeting slides" for the Aug. 2 meeting.
Uranium Meetings Conducted by Va. Dept of Health
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) will hold a series of meetings to gather public input on the issues of water supply and recreational water to assess the impact of uranium mining and milling in Virginia. More specifically, VDH will collect public comments related to the following questions:
1. What are the public’s concerns related to the impact of uranium mining and milling on water quality and quantity of private wells?
2. What are the public’s concerns related to the impact of uranium mining and milling on recreational use of surface water?
3. What role should VDH play in assuring that public health is protected in regard to private wells and recreational water use in regard to uranium mining and milling?
4. What safeguards should be in place to protect private wells and recreational water?
Evening meetings will be large meetings
and VDH will receive comments from as many participants as time allows. Registration is not required to attend the public meetings that will be held in the evenings. Individuals who are unable to attend but want to submit comments or issues for consideration may do so at http://www.uwg.vi.virginia.gov/.
In addition to accepting comments in the public forum, VDH and other agencies will staff tables to provide information and collect questions and comments from the public. Staff will be available at these tables for one hour before the public meetings begin. Questions may be asked and comments made in the public forum, at the tables or both.
DateTimeAreaLocation
August 7, 2012 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.ChathamCircuit Court Building3 North Main St. Chatham
August 15, 2012 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.WarrentonThe Barn, Lord Fairfax Community College6480 College St. WarrentonAugust 29, 2012
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.Virginia BeachMeyera Oberndorff Library Auditorium4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard Virginia Beach
Schedule of VDH Large Group Meetings on Uranium Mining and Water
Day-long issue discussion sessions will allow a small group of participants
to engage in more focused and in-depth discussion of public concerns, health risks, and potential regulatory changes. These meetings will require participants to devote a full day to participation, and participants will be identified prior to the meetings. Although we expect that a large number of persons will be interested in serving on the discussion groups, because VDH would like to conduct a very in-depth discussion, only a small number of persons will be selected.
Members of the public who are interested in participating are invited to submit their name for participation in one of the discussion sessions listed in the schedule. A total of 15 to 20 persons will be randomly selected from the names submitted and VDH is suggesting that individuals indicate their interest or expertise in the following areas, in order to assure a robust discussion: the agricultural community, water service provider, general business community, business associated with recreational water, academic with a special knowledge of geology or groundwater, local government, or private homeowner. The only requirements for your participation are that you commit to attending the entire meeting, that you indicate your area of interest from one of the groups listed above, and that you are willing to join in an open discussion of the issues. These are public meetings and a summary of the discussion, along with a list of participants, will be made available to the public after the meetings. Please note that if you volunteer your name will be listed as a participant in the public summary of the meeting.
If you are interested please submit your name, your area of interest, address and telephone number, e-mail address and other contact information, and preferred meeting location to https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/ODW/publicmeeting. You must submit your information no later than July 31, 2012. Persons selected for participation will be notified by August 2.
DateTimeAreaLocation
August 8, 20128:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.ChathamCounty Administration Building1 Center St. ChathamAugust 16, 20128:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.WarrentonWarrenton Rescue Squad Building210 Hospital Drive Warrenton, VAAugust 30, 20128:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.Virginia BeachVirginia Beach Health Department Glass Conference Room (second floor)4452 Corporation Lane Virginia BeachSchedule of VDH Small Group Discussion Meetings on Uranium Mining and Water
http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/GetFile.cfm?File=E:\townhall\docroot\\meeting\58\18464\Agenda_VDH_new_v1.pdf
Uranium study on LGA’s agenda
vancnews.com
The Lake Gaston Association will host Peter Pommerenk, Baker Study project manager for the Virginia Beach Public Works Department, at its Aug. 1 monthly meeting, which will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Gaston Baptist Church.Pommerenk will present the results of Phase 2 of the Virginia Beach Uranium Mining Study, which focuses on a potential accidental uranium tailings release from the proposed Coles Hill, Va. uranium mining and milling operation, and the specific affects such a release could have on Lake Gaston.
http://www.vancnews.com/lake_gaston_gazette_observer/news/local/article_adaf6350-d662-11e1-8f1d-001a4bcf887a.html
http://www.vancnews.com/lake_gaston_gazette_observer/news/local/article_adaf6350-d662-11e1-8f1d-001a4bcf887a.html
