PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 22, 2013
Report Raises Questions on Ability of Virginia Uranium Inc. and Its Regulator to Follow Best Practices
Danville, VA - Today, the Roanoke River Basin Association (RRBA) announces the release of the completed “Review of Records of Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Uranium Exploration Permit 90484EX Issued to Virginia Uranium, Inc.” This report was performed by Paul Robinson, Research Director, Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM, at the request of RRBA.
According to Gene Addesso, RRBA President, the study raises troubling questions regarding the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) and its ability to develop, promulgate, and satisfactorily enforce regulations regarding uranium mining in Virginia.
“Uranium mining proponents claim that DMME is capable of protecting the water resources related to mining operations. However, this report tells us that DMME had the opportunity to protect the public interest during exploratory drilling at Coles Hill, and they failed to provide effective oversight. This leads us to question how DMME could be expected to take on the regulatory responsibility of large scale uranium mining on thousands of acres in the headwaters of the Banister River,” Addesso stated.
“Further, Virginia Uranium Inc. (VUI) keeps telling us about best practices and VUI’s desire to be an environmental steward in their mining operations. But the evidence contained in this report, indicates that VUI has been less than satisfactory in their test drilling procedures”
Paul Robinson can be contacted at 505-262-1862 and sricpaul@earthlink.net
The report: Review of Uranium Exploration Permit 90484EX Records.pdf
