nuclear-news

Black ministers join in supporting Virginia’s ban on uranium mining

it would be a tragic mistake for the Virginia General
Assembly to even consider allowing Virginia Uranium Inc., or whater
it’s called today, to open a uranium mine in our beautiful but
frequently flooded Southside Virginia

Seventeen black ministers signed a resolution requesting a permanent
ban on uranium mining in Virginia.

Roanoke pastor: uranium mining is bad news for Va.By Ralph Berrier
Jr.The Roanoke Times  January 4, 2013
A coalition of black ministers from the Roanoke Valley and Southside
Virginia spoke out today in Roanoke against lifting Virginia’s ban on
uranium mining, citing what they believe would be disproportionate
negative consequences on minority populations should the ban be
lifted.

State lawmakers are considering ending the 30-year moratorium on
uranium mining, as Virginia Uranium Inc. hopes to mine one of the
world’s largest known uranium deposits in Pittsylvania County.

“I feel … that it would be a tragic mistake for the Virginia General
Assembly to even consider allowing Virginia Uranium Inc., or whater
it’s called today, to open a uranium mine in our beautiful but
frequently flooded Southside Virginia,” said Roanoke city councilman
Sherman Lea, who spoke during a 35-minute press conference in
Roanoke’s council chambers……
At the news conference, the Rev. Amy Ziglar, pastor of Mount Zion AME
Church in Roanoke, gave a spirited defense of the black ministers who
oppose mining at the Coles Hill site.

“It is the responsibility of the leadership of the church to preach
the good news and do everything we can to change the bad news,” she
said, “and uranium mining is bad news.”

Lea and Ziglar referred to studies that found Virginia faced “steep
hurdles” before it could safely allow mining. Lea said mining at the
Coles Hill site could adversely affect ground water, agriculture and
economic development.

He also said that “there is a cumulative risk to minority communities
[from] uranium mining.”

He said that minorities rely on local food sources that could be
exposed to “pathways of uranium” and that “unskilled workers tend to
be offered the more dangerous jobs.”

Seventeen black ministers signed a resolution requesting a permanent
ban on uranium mining in Virginia.

January 5, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, Religion and ethics, Uranium, USA