nuclear-news

Tentative step towards uranium mining in Virginia, but opposition persists

While environmental groups have led the charge against mining, the
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation took the unexpected step of opposing
mining, and municipal groups have also joined in the opposition.
Virginia Beach, which draws public drinking water from southern
Virginia, has also taken a stand against mining, as well as other
cities in Hampton Roads.

Virginia uranium mining wins 1st legislative test January 7, 2013
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Proposed uranium mining in Virginia easily
survived its first legislative test Monday, with lawmakers
recommending the development of regulations for the mining of the
radioactive ore.
Those rules — and whether a 30-year ban on such mining is lifted —
ultimately would need to be approved by the General Assembly.
The Coal and Energy Commission voted 11-2 in support of legislation
proposed by Sen. John Watkins that would have the effect of limiting
mining to one company and the only known, commercially viable deposit
of uranium in the state: Virginia Uranium Inc…..
Asked why he would limit uranium mining in the state, Watkins said:
“Because I want the bill to pass.”
……..Robert G. Burnley, a former director of the Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality who now is affiliated with the
Southern Environmental Law Center, said the legislation is a “de
facto” vote on ending the 31-year ban.
“I think that the idea is not to take an up-or-down vote on lifting
the ban because it’s such an emotional issue and there’s so much
indisputable evidence against uranium mining,” he said.

The moratorium was put in place 1982, several years after the Coles
Hill discovery, when interest in mining and the price of uranium waned
following an accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in
Pennsylvania. Virginia Uranium resurrected the issue several years as
the nation appeared headed to a nuclear power renaissance. The uranium
at Coles Hill would be processed into yellowcake to fuel nuclear
reactors.

The company has lobbied hard to end the ban, flying legislators to
France and Canada on its tab to tour mining and milling facilities and
giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to legislators. Several
members of the Coal and Energy Commission have received contributions
from the company.

While environmental groups have led the charge against mining, the
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation took the unexpected step of opposing
mining, and municipal groups have also joined in the opposition.
Virginia Beach, which draws public drinking water from southern
Virginia, has also taken a stand against mining, as well as other
cities in Hampton Roads.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/va.-uranium-mining-wins-1st-legislative-test/article/2517807#.UO3eu-R9JLs

January 9, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Uranium, USA