Protest rally with about 1,000 people in Helsinki because of the Talvivaara leak in November 2012, the tailing pond is leaking now, modern mining in Finland, this will happen in VA!
By Steve Szkotak
The Associated Press
RICHMOND
The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is backing the continuation of the state's 30-year ban on uranium mining, concluding that the mining and milling of the radioactive ore is a threat to Virginia's multibillion dollar agricultural industry.
The stand by the influential farm lobby, reached this week at its annual meeting in northern Virginia, is sure to resonate at the Capitol if the General Assembly decides to consider ending the ban in the 2013 session so a mining company can tap a 119-milllion-pound uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County. The Farm Bureau has 88 bureaus throughout the state and represents more than 146,000 farm families.
"When this is in the General Assembly, we will be opposed to lifting the moratorium," Andrew W. Smith, senior assistant director of governmental relations, told The Associated Press on today.
Smith said the "grassroots" vote reflecting the wishes of local farm bureaus was approved overwhelming. It was the first position on uranium mining in recent years by the Farm Bureau.
"They came to this conclusion because they've seen no evidence so far that technology exits to do it safely right now," Smith said of mining and milling uranium.
Virginia Uranium Inc. insists it can safely mine the largest known uranium deposit in the U.S.,
The mining within 10 miles of Chatham would also require the milling of the ore to separate it from rock, then the disposal of the waste product for generations in containment units.
Virginia Uranium has pledged to build those units below-grade to minimize
The gesture, however, has not satisfied critics. They contend the East Coast's first full-fledged uranium mine would operate in a climate that is prone to severe storms and rains that could breach the containment units. They've also argued the stigma of uranium mining will harm tourism and sour consumer interest in any farm products.
Smith said the Farm Bureau was mindful of those concerns.
"We're not talking about something like a petroleum spill or something that can be cleaned up in a day, months or even a couple years," he said. "We're talking about something that could take decades or centuries to clean up that could have devastating effects on neighboring properties."
The Farm Bureau vote comes on the eve of the release of a state report that examines a range of issues related to uranium mining, including a regulatory framework the state would need to have in place.
The Uranium Working Group, which includes state mining, public health and environmental officials, is scheduled to issue its report by the end of the week. It will not include a recommendation on the ban.
Virginia Uranium did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/11/farm-lobby-wants-virginia-uranium-ban-stay
