By John Crane
Published: April 15, 2010
The process has begun for the second part of a study focusing on the socioeconomic impacts of uranium mining and milling in Virginia.
The Virginia Tobacco Commission’s executive committee voted Thursday during its meeting in Roanoke to recommend the commission supply up to $200,000 to the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission’s Uranium Mining Subcommittee to pay an entity to perform the socioeconomic study.
“We want to make sure that there was independent funding so this would have validity,” Tobacco Commission Executive Committee Chairman Delegate Terry Kilgore said Thursday.
Thursday’s vote was not unanimous. State Sen. Frank Ruff, R-15th District, voted against the idea.
Virginia Uranium Inc., which is paying for the study’s first part emphasizing the technical and scientific aspects of mining and milling.
The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council are performing that study, which is expected to be finished in the fall of 2011.
Virginia currently has a moratorium on uranium mining and milling.
Eloise Nenon, a mining opponent and founding member of Southside Concerned Citizens in Chatham, said the decision was “great” but added public participation in the study should be allowed. The study should also examine the threats uranium mining and milling could pose to the area’s history, agriculture, air, water and public health, Nenon said.
Read more:
http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/article/process_begins_for_socioeconomic_study_of_uranium_mining/20129/Reidsville/
