Jun 18, 10:07 PM
EDT
CHATHAM, Va. (AP) -- A multi-agency panel studying whether
uranium can be safely mined in Virginia went to the epicenter of the
environmental battle Monday and was met by a torrent of criticism.
Residents and environmentalists opposed to mining questioned
the very existence of the Uranium Working Group, stating the $500,000 it had
spent on consultants could have been better used.
"My question for you," asked Halifax County resident Jesse
Andrews, "is how many qualified history teachers could be hired for $500,000?
Why is uranium mining more important than the proper education of our
children?"
Members of the working group looked on impassively, and
occasionally with some bemusement, as speaker after speaker criticized how the
panel was going about its business and told them uranium mining would be a bad
thing for Southside Virginia. The working group held the meeting in Chatham in
Pittsylvania County, home to a 119-million-pound deposit of the radioactive
ore.
Gov. Bob McDonnell created the Uranium Working Group in
January after he asked the General Assembly to delay any decision on ending a
30-year ban on mining the metal.
The meeting in Chatham High School included presentations
from the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; a state geologist and a
consultant hired by the working group.
Cathie France of the State Department of Mines, Minerals and
Energy, explained that the group intended to address questions raised by a raft
of studies.
"We do not take position one way or the other whether the
ban should be lifted," France said.
A coalition of environmental groups maintains the wet East
Coast is a risky climate to mine uranium, most of which has been produced in
mines in the arid southwest. They fear radioactive tailings - waste rock and ore
from the processing of uranium - could be released into public drinking supplies
during a hurricane packing torrential rains.
The audience nearly filled an auditorium with a seating
capacity of 500. Of approximately 35 speakers, the great majority opposed
mining.
Speakers scoffed at the openness of the working group,
questioned the industry ties of the consultant group it hired, and generally
opposed mining as a risk not worth taking.
An engineer and mining opponent, Jack Dunavant, asked the
panel: "Why are we here?" He contended that no amount of oversight and
regulation could ensure that uranium would not foul water supplies and farm
fields.
"You cannot keep it out of the water. You can't keep it out
of the air," Dunavant said.
Mining critics contend the NAS study should have been the
final word on mining, and they question the need for the state study.
The uranium deposit is located within 30 miles of the North
Carolina state line, and opposition has begun to organize in that state.
"The NC Coalition Against Uranium Mining encourages the
governor of Virginia, the elected officials in the legislature and the uranium
mining working group to do the right thing for all concerned citizens in
Virginia and North Carolina and keep the ban on uranium mining in place," the
group said in a statement issued before the meeting.
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