One of the major issues for political candidates seeking votes in the Dan River Region has been uranium mining.
On Monday, Gen. John Douglass, the Democratic nominee for the congressional 5th District, visited the area and focused heavily on the controversial issue.
At a uranium mining forum Monday night, Douglass said that although lifting the moratorium on uranium mining was a state issue, he supports federal legislation to ban uranium mining as well.
During a speaking event with the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Douglass said the main issue for Southside constituents is getting more jobs in Southside, but he believes if a uranium mine opens businesses will not come. He also said just the potential of having a mine in the Dan River Region has devalued some farmers’ land.
Uranium mining is easily one of the major hot button issues for almost any campaign in the Dan River Region, from the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to statewide elections.
At the meeting Monday night, Douglass was joined by Tom Leahy, director of Virginia Beach Public Utilities; Sarah Epps, a construction business manager from Halifax; and former Pittsylvania County supervisor Hank Davis to speak in support of keeping the state moratorium on uranium mining.
Leahy gave a presentation that showed how a potential catastrophe at the proposed mine site at Coles Hill could contaminate water supplies all the way to Virginia Beach and some areas in North Carolina.
Douglass said people across the district have told him they are already seeing property values drop and expect to see them drop further “as long as this is hanging over us,” because they would rather not invest in a place where uranium mining is a danger, real or perceived.
Epps said she has been investigating uranium mining for several years, hoping to find that it would be beneficial to the community and region, but has instead been turned completely against it.
“I want to go home and look my children in the eye and say this is a good thing,” Epps said. “I can’t do it.”
Davis, a former lawyer, represented Marline when that company proposed mining uranium in Pittsylvania County in the 1980s. He said he initially supported uranium mining, but now “I’m dead set against it.” He said he is disappointed the board of supervisors has not taken a stance against it, when so many other communities that could be impacted by the mine have, and told attendees to “keep the pressure on the board of supervisors.”
Davis also pointed out that the county landfill was fitted out with much the same type of lining a storage field for uranium tailings would have, and it leaks.
“We had to put wells all around the leaks so we could monitor them,” Davis said.
http://www2.wsls.com/news/
At a uranium mining forum Monday night, Douglass said that although lifting the moratorium on uranium mining was a state issue, he supports federal legislation to ban uranium mining as well.
During a speaking event with the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Douglass said the main issue for Southside constituents is getting more jobs in Southside, but he believes if a uranium mine opens businesses will not come. He also said just the potential of having a mine in the Dan River Region has devalued some farmers’ land.
Uranium mining is easily one of the major hot button issues for almost any campaign in the Dan River Region, from the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to statewide elections.
At the meeting Monday night, Douglass was joined by Tom Leahy, director of Virginia Beach Public Utilities; Sarah Epps, a construction business manager from Halifax; and former Pittsylvania County supervisor Hank Davis to speak in support of keeping the state moratorium on uranium mining.
Leahy gave a presentation that showed how a potential catastrophe at the proposed mine site at Coles Hill could contaminate water supplies all the way to Virginia Beach and some areas in North Carolina.
Douglass said people across the district have told him they are already seeing property values drop and expect to see them drop further “as long as this is hanging over us,” because they would rather not invest in a place where uranium mining is a danger, real or perceived.
Epps said she has been investigating uranium mining for several years, hoping to find that it would be beneficial to the community and region, but has instead been turned completely against it.
“I want to go home and look my children in the eye and say this is a good thing,” Epps said. “I can’t do it.”
Davis, a former lawyer, represented Marline when that company proposed mining uranium in Pittsylvania County in the 1980s. He said he initially supported uranium mining, but now “I’m dead set against it.” He said he is disappointed the board of supervisors has not taken a stance against it, when so many other communities that could be impacted by the mine have, and told attendees to “keep the pressure on the board of supervisors.”
Davis also pointed out that the county landfill was fitted out with much the same type of lining a storage field for uranium tailings would have, and it leaks.
“We had to put wells all around the leaks so we could monitor them,” Davis said.
http://www2.wsls.com/news/
