By: | The News & Advance
Published: August 09, 2012
After the release last year of a National Academy of Sciences study into the safety and feasibility of mining, Gov. Bob McDonnell and the General Assembly established the Uranium Working Group (www.uwg.vi.virginia.gov) to hold hearings across the state and make recommendations as to regulatory changes needed before mining could be undertaken.
The NAS study, while not stating definitively whether mining could be done in Virginia, did say it would face “steep hurdles.” And it’s been those “steep hurdles” that foes have zeroed in on.
The Working Group now has begun a series of statewide hearings. Openness and transparency, from the start, emerged as two of the biggest problems with the group, as its members tried to wriggle out of compliance with Virginia’s open records laws and only recently gave the slimmest of public notification of its latest open meeting.
Proponents of mining, who spent more than $150,000 lobbying the General Assembly this year, understandably want a quick decision in their favor, most likely in the 2013 session.
But with many serious and unanswered questions, no regulatory staff in the executive branch, no regulations and guidelines and strong opposition from across the political spectrum, we believe extreme caution is called for.
In a matter such as this, there isn’t the luxury of a “do-over.”
http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2012/aug/09/uranium-mining-lets-be-cautious-ar-2117717/
