Comments: Heck No to the following idea, we will speak: No action on the report will be taken by the subcommittee that night, but written questions will be taken from the audience after the Uranium Working Group’s presentation. Senator Ruff, Rep Merricks, Marshall, please stop Sen Watkins bill now, do not present anything about regulations to lift the ban!!!
Regulations key to lifting moratorium on uranium
Sen. John Watkins may sponsor bill to advance mining Regulations in Virginia
Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 7:52 pm | Updated: 7:59 pm, Wed Nov 28, 2012.
A Richmond-area senator is considering sponsoring legislation that would direct the state to create regulations for uranium mining, effectively lifting the three-decade-old moratorium.
State Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, an outspoken supporter of mining efforts and a member of the uranium mining subcommittee, says he could be the one to propose a bill in 2013.
“I might be,” he said. “I haven’t made up my mind yet. I haven’t read the report from the governor’s work group yet.”
Virginia Uranium Inc. has been lobbying legislators to propose a bill that would, in effect, lift the commonwealth’s moratorium on uranium mining. That 1984 law reads: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit applications for uranium mining … until a program for permitting uranium mining is established by statute.”
Julie Rautio, a lobbyist for Virginia Uranium with the firm Capital Results, says establishing regulations would lift the ban.
“What they need to see done to advance to the next phase of this almost decade-long process is to direct state agencies to develop draft regulations,” Rautio said. “That starts a whole other set of clocks ticking and activities to be done.”
Watkins, an outspoken supporter of mining efforts, says he is waiting on the report that the governor will receive this week.
“I want to make sure it can be done safely, both for the workers, the surrounding population and the environment,” he said.
Asked what safety issues have not been addressed to his satisfaction, Watkins said, “Not a lot.
Current uranium operations as they exist today are very safe. I just want to make sure what we do would ensure that level of safety.”
More specifically, he said, he is interested in seeing more detail about the proposed regulatory structure.
“I’m looking for the structure of the regulatory regime and what agencies will be focused on,” he said. “Part of it is federal, part of it is state.”
Watkins received $2,000 from Virginia Uranium in campaign contributions made in 2011 and 2008, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. The company also paid $2,658 to send Watkins to visit mines in Canada in 2011. The year before, the Virginia Uranium paid $9,327 for Watkins to visit France.
In January, Gov. Bob McDonnell created the Uranium Working Group They were given 18 tasks to complete and charged to present a report to the governor’s office by Dec. 1.
The report will be presented to the Uranium Subcommittee of the Coal and Energy Commission at 5 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham.
No action on the report will be taken by the subcommittee that night, but written questions will be taken from the audience after the Uranium Working Group’s presentation.
Another legislative meeting will be scheduled in Richmond before the General Assembly convenes. The discussion of any possible action or recommendation related to the report will take place then.
State Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, an outspoken supporter of mining efforts and a member of the uranium mining subcommittee, says he could be the one to propose a bill in 2013.
“I might be,” he said. “I haven’t made up my mind yet. I haven’t read the report from the governor’s work group yet.”
Virginia Uranium Inc. has been lobbying legislators to propose a bill that would, in effect, lift the commonwealth’s moratorium on uranium mining. That 1984 law reads: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit applications for uranium mining … until a program for permitting uranium mining is established by statute.”
Julie Rautio, a lobbyist for Virginia Uranium with the firm Capital Results, says establishing regulations would lift the ban.
“What they need to see done to advance to the next phase of this almost decade-long process is to direct state agencies to develop draft regulations,” Rautio said. “That starts a whole other set of clocks ticking and activities to be done.”
Watkins, an outspoken supporter of mining efforts, says he is waiting on the report that the governor will receive this week.
“I want to make sure it can be done safely, both for the workers, the surrounding population and the environment,” he said.
Asked what safety issues have not been addressed to his satisfaction, Watkins said, “Not a lot.
Current uranium operations as they exist today are very safe. I just want to make sure what we do would ensure that level of safety.”
More specifically, he said, he is interested in seeing more detail about the proposed regulatory structure.
“I’m looking for the structure of the regulatory regime and what agencies will be focused on,” he said. “Part of it is federal, part of it is state.”
Watkins received $2,000 from Virginia Uranium in campaign contributions made in 2011 and 2008, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. The company also paid $2,658 to send Watkins to visit mines in Canada in 2011. The year before, the Virginia Uranium paid $9,327 for Watkins to visit France.
In January, Gov. Bob McDonnell created the Uranium Working Group They were given 18 tasks to complete and charged to present a report to the governor’s office by Dec. 1.
The report will be presented to the Uranium Subcommittee of the Coal and Energy Commission at 5 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham.
No action on the report will be taken by the subcommittee that night, but written questions will be taken from the audience after the Uranium Working Group’s presentation.
Another legislative meeting will be scheduled in Richmond before the General Assembly convenes. The discussion of any possible action or recommendation related to the report will take place then.
Jackson reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
http://www.newsadvance.com/go_dan_river/news/pittsylvania_county/article_1d8ea2f2-39bf-11e2-83bd-0019bb30f31a.html
http://www.newsadvance.com/go_dan_river/news/pittsylvania_county/article_1d8ea2f2-39bf-11e2-83bd-0019bb30f31a.html
