Over the last 18 months the Virginia League of Conservation Voters (VALCV) has engaged over 30,000 residents in conversations about uranium mining in Virginia. We went door to door and spoke with residents in Richmond about the threats; we called our members in critical legislative districts to speak up; we educated "green voters" prior to last year’s elections; we trained hundreds of activists at our summer workshops; and more.
As with any important environmental topic, it is critical that the public is educated and included in decisions being made by our elected officials. Since our founding, VALCV has always worked to fulfill this crucial component of our representative democracy.
This particular decision—whether to mine and mill radioactive uranium in Virginia—is the most important conservation decision of the last three decades. Our lives will be profoundly affected by uranium mining, from our drinking water to recreational activities to wildlife habitat. It is vital that residents participate in the debate. Unfortunately our decision makers have not adequately included the public.
Since Governor McDonnell announced the formation of his Uranium Working Group (UWG) in January of this year, administrative actions regarding uranium have not been transparent enough. VALCV along with some of our partners at the Keep the Ban Coalition submitted multiple letters to the Administration outlining our concerns over this lack of transparency.
In February we wrote that the working group “has the unfortunate effect of taking the process away from the Commonwealth’s elected representatives and placing it behind closed doors.”
Historically, VALCV has fought to maintain and increase citizen participation. In 2007 and 2008 a small group of legislators sought to consolidate the three environmental citizen boards into one omnibus board with much less authority and opportunity for participation. After a protracted outreach effort, citizens and conservation groups prevailed. The three citizen boards remain intact thereby allowing citizen participation in significant conservation decisions related to air pollution, water pollution and waste.
As with our current debate around the threats of uranium mining, VALCV seeks to educate and effectively involve as many residents as possible in critical policy decisions. In the coming months we will continue to encourage the Administration to increase transparency of the Uranium Working Group and for legislators to speak with more constituents before they make a decision on uranium mining in January 2013.
Speak up now and call your state Senator and Delegate. Let them know you want Virginia’s 30-year ban to stay in place. For our heritage, our health and our future. Click here to find your legislator. : Read more: http://valcv.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/VALCV_Fall2012.pdf
