Protesters hold a sign during a meeting of the Virginia Uranium Mining Working Group final informational public hearing at the Science Museum of Virginia on Tuesday in Richmond.
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 6:55 pm | Updated: 9:34 pm, Tue Nov 27, 2012.
8:50 p.m. update:
Hoping for strength in numbers, the "Keep the Ban" organization presented a 16,000-signature petition to the panel of the Uranium Working Group's final public meeting Tuesday in Richmond.
The petition called for the retention of Virginia's moratorium on uranium mining and milling. The General Assembly is expected to take up the issue in January.
The group's final report will be presented to the Uranium Subcommittee of the Coal and Energy in mid-December.
The location of that meeting has yet to be determined, but is likely to be in Chatham or Halifax, according to Cathie France, deputy director of energy policy at the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.
Original story:
When the Uranium Working Group submits its final report Saturday to Gov. Bob McDonnell, it will be missing something. A socioeconomic report requested by the group has been delayed and will not be included with the report being sent to the governor.
Wright Environmental contracted with the firm ORI in Herndon to complete the study, but the research got a late start.
The study is supposed to shed light on the potential business impacts created by uranium mining and milling, and also gauge perception -- whether uranium operations have a positive or negative influence in economic development opportunities.
The study will include a survey of Virginia business leaders, a survey of site location consultants, and an economic impact analysis incorporating the results of those surveys. The report will also make recommendations based on those results.
ORI is calling between 600 and 1,000 businesses from Nov. 13-30.
The study costs $200,000 and is being paid out of a fund set up by the governor for research requested by the UWG.
The UWG has spent more than $1 million on research, not including the staff time devoted by various state agencies.
The study is expected to be returned to the Uranium Working Group on Dec. 21 and added to the group's final report.
The Uranium Working Group has asked Wright Environmental to conduct a socioeconomic study.
Wright Environmental has subcontracted the work to the firm ORI.
http://www.newsadvance.com/go_dan_river/news/pittsylvania_county/article_dbf72a16-38ed-11e2-80f3-001a4bcf6878.html
Martinsville resolves to KTB
have just been told the Martinsville, VA passed a resolution to KEEP THE BAN.
