Funding the study (Virginia uranium study)

Comment: Thanks for the following statement from Ms. Maute: The R&B seems fond of editing letters. Please note that this paragraph (below) was cut from the original submitted editorial. The paragraph highlights an important aspect of this issue. It is unfortunate that the R & B chose to omit it.

"Without mining the first shovel of uranium Virginia Uranium, Inc. is already tearing at the fabric of Virginia and polluting our government institutions and causing deep divisions in the citzenry. If for no other reason than to protect the Commonwealth's integrity, uranium mining should be banned."

Funding the study

By Published by The Editorial Board
Published: October 6, 2009

To the editor:

OK, let’s get this straight. Virginia Uranium Inc. wants studies that might indicate uranium mining and milling is good business and is safe for Virginia’s citizens. It also wants the National Academy of Sciences to conduct at least one of the studies.

The Virginia General Assembly voted not to fund such a study two years ago. Virginia Uranium Inc. persisted and apparently convinced the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission to do its bidding. The VCEC formed a uranium mining subpanel.

With the aid of Michael Karmis of Virginia Tech’s Mining and Minerals Engineering Department/Director of Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research Center, a study’s scope was determined and Karmis began communication with the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. At present, no one can or will fund the NAS study but VUI.

The National Academy of Sciences will not accept VUI’s offer to pay because it does not perform its services for private industry. So Virginia Tech will take VUI’s money and give it to the NAS. The National Academy of Sciences will do the study for private industry as long as the industry does not pass the money directly to them? A “blind eye” kind of thing, I suppose.

Does this seem akin to money laundering? If NAS gets “besmirched,” they will have done it to themselves. Virginia Tech appears to be an accomplice. At this point, if the state offers to pay for a study, it looks like a disingenuous offer with those supporting it seemingly subjects of tampering. If citizens question the process, the get called “silly!” VUI has managed to make everyone look bad.

Without mining the first shovel of uranium Virginia Uranium, Inc. is already tearing at the fabric of Virginia and polluting our government institutions and causing deep divisions in the citzenry. If for no other reason than to protect the Commonwealth's integrity, uranium mining should be banned.

Unfortunately, we stand to lose more if we mine and mill uranium. Why risk Virginians’ health, heritage, agricultural and tourism industry, future economic opportunities, clean air and water for a boom-bust uranium mine? To allow this, as Karmis might opine, would be “silly.”

KAREN B. MAUTE
Mount Cross
Danville, VA

http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/danville_letters/article /funding_the_study/14385/

Wide-ranging study of Virginia uranium mining proposed

Comment: Will this be Virginia's future, all of Virginia because the State of Virginia is embracing Nuke Power from foreign countries, People wake up, if you wait for the illegal study, you will be mined, it is not right our local leaders cannot protect their people because of The Dillion Rule!! We need to demand that the State of VA to let local communities to invoke Home Rule so we can envoke an Ordinance to Ban Uranium Mining! Look at the study, putting Uranium market trends over the protection of its people against Uranium ruining our water, air & land.

Monday, May 11, 2009

A study of proposed uranium mining in Virginia would range from market trends to technical practices to health risks, the National Academy of Sciences said in recommendations released Thursday.

A Virginia Commission on Coal and Energy subcommittee posted the academy's recommendations for the study online. The recommendations were made by the academy's working arm, the National Research Council. The Virginia panel will consider approving them at a May 21 meeting in Richmond.

Before uranium can be mined in Virginia, the General Assembly would have to lift a ban that has been in place since 1982.

The study has been requested as a first step to lifting that ban by Virginia Uranium Inc., which wants to mine a 119 million-pound Pittsylvania County deposit that is believed to be the largest in the nation. Its value is estimated at $7 billion to $10 billion.

"The study will provide independent, expert advice that can be used to inform decisions about the future of uranium mining in the Commonwealth of Virginia," the academy's statement said.(are they coming to Virginia, it does not say, neither says when they come!)

The study won't take a position for or against the mining, the academy said, nor will it assess Virginia Uranium's site near Chatham.

Environmentalists and residents who live close to the site near the Virginia-North Carolina state line are worried about hazards to human health and the environment from mining the radioactive material.

The academy proposed assessing short- and long-term health risks both to workers and the public.

Source: Forbes


http://www.yourminingnews.com/news_item.php?newsID=31958