Uranium socio-economic study expected to begin this summer

Comment:  Please select Nominations for the NRC/NAS committee today!
By TIM DAVIS/Star-Tribune Editor
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 9:13 AM EDT

The chairman of the Virginia Commission on Coal and Energy expects a study on the socio-economic impact of uranium mining to begin this summer.

The study, which is separate from the scientific study set to begin soon, will address the effects of uranium mining on businesses, schools and the community.

"We're going to try to get that going pretty quickly," said Del. Terry Kilgore of Scott County.

Kilgore said the Coal and Energy Commission's Uranium Mining Subcommittee will seek proposals from universities and other qualified organizations.

Unlike the scientific study, which includes the entire state and is not site specific, the socio-economic study will target Pittsylvania County, Halifax County and Danville, Kilgore said.

Virginia Uranium Inc. announced plans three years ago to explore mining uranium at Coles Hill, about six miles northeast of Chatham.

In February, the National Research Council in Washington, D.C., agreed to conduct a statewide scientific study on uranium mining in Virginia.

The council signed a contract with Virginia Tech for the $1.4 million study, which will be funded by Virginia Uranium.

The study will take about 18 months, with a final report due Dec. 1, 2011.

Del. Lee Ware of Powhatan, chairman of the Uranium Mining Subcommittee, recently applied for a $200,000 grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission.

Meanwhile, the National Research Council is seeking nominations for a 12-member committee for the scientific study.

The council is hoping to identify suitable members for the study committee with expertise in areas such as ecology, environmental and mining law, environmental remediation, geology, ground and surface water hydrogeochemistry, health communications, mine safety, mine regulation and reclamation, radiation health effects; and uranium mining, milling, processing, and engineering.

Nominations for the committee may be sent to Nicholas Rogers (nrogers@nas.edu) and copied to Feary (dfeary@nas.edu).

Spokesman William Kearney expects the committee to be approved this spring and begin meeting early this summer.

He said one of the group's first public meetings will be in Danville.

"The goal is to pick a committee with the expertise to carry out the objectives of the study and also be balanced from a scientific perspective," said Kearney.

tim.davis@chathamstartribune.com

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