nuclear-news

Uranium mining a threat to agriculture in Virginia

Farm lobby wants Virginia uranium ban to stay, PilotOnline.com By Steve Szkotak The Associated Press  November 29, 2012 RICHMOND The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is backing the continuation of the state’s 30-year ban on uranium mining, concluding that the mining and milling of the radioactive ore is a threat to Virginia’s multibillion dollar agricultural industry.

The stand by the influential farm lobby, reached this week at its
annual meeting in northern Virginia, is sure to resonate at the
Capitol if the General Assembly decides to consider ending the ban in
the 2013 session so a mining company can tap a 119-milllion-pound
uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County. The Farm Bureau has 88 bureaus
throughout the state and represents more than 146,000 farm families.

“When this is in the General Assembly, we will be opposed to lifting
the moratorium,” Andrew W. Smith, senior assistant director of
governmental relations, told The Associated Press on today.

Smith said the “grassroots” vote reflecting the wishes of local farm
bureaus was approved overwhelming. It was the first position on
uranium mining in recent years by the Farm Bureau.

“They came to this conclusion because they’ve seen no evidence so far
that technology exits to do it safely right now,” Smith said of mining
and milling uranium…..
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/11/farm-lobby-wants-virginia-uranium-ban-stay

December 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA