nuclear-news

Uranium- No Thanks, say Danville and Pittsylvania County residents

Poll: uranium mining ban should remain in place Go Dan River 14 Sept 12, The majority of Danville and Pittsylvania County residents do not want to see the state ban on uranium mining lifted.

That was the bottom-line result of a poll taken by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Survey and Evaluation Laboratory for the Alliance for Progress in Southern Virginia, which was released at a news conference in downtown Danville on Thursday.

More than 550 Danville and Pittsylvania County residents participated in the poll.

Jay Poole, a spokesperson for the alliance, said he was surprised by two things the survey revealed: the number of people who were aware of the issue, and the number of people who had already formed an opinionon the issue.

“The overwhelming margin of support in opposition to the proposed uranium mine in Pittsylvania County was striking,” Poole said.

Although 54 percent of respondents said they thought a mine might help the local economy, they clearly felt that was offset by potential risks, with 53 percent saying they do not want uranium mining in their backyards, compared to 29 percent who support the idea of a uranium mine at Coles Hill near Chatham.

When asked how they thought agriculture and the wood products industry would be affected, 63 percent said they felt it would be negatively impacted.

Sixty-three percent of respondents also said they are concerned about the affect such a mine could have on water quality, and 60 percent said they believe it would reduce property values in the region…. http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2012/sep/13/poll-uranium-mining-ban-should-remain-place-ar-2202990/

September 15, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA