Comments: Please email Gov Bob and demand and say" he shouldn't circumvent the legislature and keep the uranium mining ban!"
Friday, February 01, 2013
The sponsor of the bill conceded that he didn't have enough support for the measure to pass.
RICHMOND — The Senate sponsor of legislation to lift Virginia's ban on uranium mining conceded Thursday that he could not convince enough of his colleagues this year that mining can be done safely and economically in the state.
Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, withdrew his bill (Senate Bill 1353) on the same day that it was scheduled to be heard by the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee. The chairman of a key House of Delegates committee said a uranium mining bill (House Bill 2330) will be shelved in that chamber because the measure likely would fail in the Senate.
"This is a very unpopular bill, and we feel like there's been a lack of sensitivity on some people's part to understand the negative impact of mining of a radioactive material," said Ben Davenport, a Chatham native and prominent Southside Virginia businessman who has helped lead a regional coalition against uranium mining.
Watkins suggested that Gov. Bob McDonnell direct state agencies to draft regulations for uranium mining in order to address "unanswered questions" of skeptical legislators. The regulations could not be implemented unless the General Assembly adopts a statute on uranium mining, Watkins said.
The Republican governor formed an interagency work group that has outlined a proposed regulatory scheme for uranium mining and milling. But McDonnell has not taken a position on whether the moratorium should be lifted.
"He has been reviewing all the information produced regarding uranium mining in Virginia, and will continue to do so," said McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin.
Virginia Uranium remains "firmly committed" to the Coles Hill project, said Patrick Wales, the company's project manager.
Opponents have raised concerns that the mining operation could hurt regional economic development and pose environmental and health risks, including in the Roanoke River basin downstream from the site.
Cale Jaffe, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said he believes legislators were influenced by a National Academy of Sciences report that concluded Virginia would face "steep hurdles" protecting public health and the environment if it allows uranium mining and milling.
"People read the science and they actually listened to it," Jaffe said. "That's a very big step."
Opponents of uranium mining swarmed the General Assembly Building on Thursday and cheered when Watkins announced that he was striking his bill. A majority of the committee's 15 members had declared before Thursday's meeting that they oppose lifting the moratorium, including Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, whose district includes the Coles Hill site.
Sen. Frank Ruff, R-Mecklenburg County, called the mining proposal a "cloud hanging over the region that will detract economic development from the region as long as it's there,"
"We need to put it to rest," Ruff said after Watkins struck his bill.
Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, said a uranium mining bill will be tabled in the House Commerce and Labor Committee, which he leads, because the bill could not get through the Senate. Kilgore acknowledged that the issue divides the House Republican majority.
"There's a lot in our caucus that don't support it and I don't think there's a need to go forward," said Kilgore, who also is chairman of the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission, a panel that conducted extensive hearings and studies on uranium mining.
Some legislators and lobbyists said they will be watching to see if uranium mining supporters attempt to insert language into the state budget to help advance the Virginia Uranium project.
Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said pro-uranium lobbyists have approached him about adding a provision in the budget to allow "preliminary work on the regulatory aspect."
"I can't imagine if the bill is gone that there will be an effort to resurrect it in the budget," Putney said.
http://m.roanoke.com/mapp/story.aspx?arcID=319780
