Posted on March 13, 2011 by admin
Those that rely on the Roanoke River basin in Virginia and North Carolina are concerned about the impacts a uranium mine could have on their livelihood if the ban against uranium mining were lifted in Virginia.
During a meeting on March 12th in Raleigh NC, the Roanoke River Basin Association Board of Directors passed a resolution opposing a move by foreign investors to lift the current ban on uranium mining in Virginia. This resolution comes after a study was released by the City of Virginia Beach stating that a spill of leftover toxic uranium waste at the proposed Coles Hill site could contaminate drinking water for downstream communities for up to two years.
Read info about the resolution:
Roanoke River Basin Association Uranium Mining Resolution
RESOLUTION OPPOSING LIFTING THE BAN ON URANIUM MINING IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA THAT POSES A ENVIRONMENTALTHREAT TO THE ROANOKE RIVER BASIN AND TO THE CITIZENS OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA LIVING IN THE BASIN , the Roanoke River Basin Association (RRBA) recognizes that a healthy and sustainable environment is important to the citizens, the economy and the need for supply of Quality water in the Basin; and WHEREAS, the mission of the RRBA, a 501 c (3) volunteer citizens advocate organization, is to support strategies and developments that enhance the preservation and use of the Roanoke River Basin's resources for now and future generations of its citizens; and WHEREAS, there is a proposed uranium mining and milling operation at Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County, VA, which would require lifting the current ban on such operations in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and WHEREAS, on February 1, 2011, the City of Virginia Beach released the findings of its $437,000 study of impacts of proposed uranium mining and milling on its water supply coming from Lake Gaston; and WHEREAS, the City of Virginia Beach study concluded that in the event of a mill tailing confinement cell failure, the tailings will be washed downstream and will significantly impact water quality in Kerr Reservoir and Lake Gaston resulting in radiation levels in the water 10-20 times above the Safe Drinking Water Act levels; and WHEREAS, RRBA recognizes that the event modeled in the City of Virginia Beach study is rare but the magnitude of potential impacts on the Basin’s eco-system and the communities is too great to leave it to chance; and WHEREAS, because of the presence of the uranium mill in the Basin that can be used to process ore mined at other mining sites in the Basin and/or throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, including but not limited to Orange, Madison, Fauquier, Culpeper, Patrick, and Floyd Counties, the Basin that serves as a drinking water source for over one million people could face increased risks associated with uranium mining, milling, and storage of radioactive waste; and WHEREAS, the best available scientific information indicates that the social, environmental, health and economic impacts of proposed uranium mining and milling in Virginia outweigh expected benefits to the Basin residents in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
mining in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
BE IT KNOWN that seventeen (17) RRBA Board members were present at a meeting held on this day of March 12, 2011 and the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of all members, and opposed by none; and that said Resolution has been duly recorded in the Association minutes and is in full force and effect. that the Roanoke River Basin Association Board of Directors goes on public record in opposition to lifting the ban on uranium ____________________ ____________________ __________________
Harold Carawan, Gene Addesso, Anne Zeneski, President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer
Read more:
http://www.rrba.org/
