nuclear-news

Lawmakers of Southside Virginia urge Governor to resist pressure from uranium lobby

Southside anti-uranium legislators write to McDonnell By Julian Walker The Virginian-Pilot February 8, 2013 A sextet of Southside Virginia legislators have written Gov. Bob McDonnell asking him to resist uranium supporters who want him to move ahead with the development of new mining regulations despite the recent demise of legislation for that purpose.

“We strongly urge you not to follow that course,” reads the Feb. 6 letter to the governor, which notes “the General Assembly has concluded the risks are too great to approve lifting the moratorium on mining.”

The letter is signed by six Republicans: Sens. Frank Ruff of Mecklenburg County and Bill Stanley of Franklin County; and Dels. James Edmunds of Halifax County, Danny Marshall of Danville, Don Merricks of Pittsylvania County, and Tommy Wright of Lunenburg County.

“To ignore the overwhelming opposition to uranium mining that has been expressed by citizens and organizations across the Commonwealth does not fit with representative government” they wrote. “An issue as divisive as this should be dealt with by the legislative process.”

Last week, Sen. John Watkins withdrew his uranium legislation when it became clear he lacked the votes to get the bill past the Senate committee where it had been sent…..

Fighting the pro-uranium effort is a broad coalition of interested parties who want Virginia to maintain its 31-year mining moratorium.

They fear possible environmental fallout and public health hazards from the accidental release of mining waste, known as tailings, leftover from the milling process when uranium ore is separated from rock…… South Hampton Roads localities are among the groups that oppose mining out of concern that the accidental of tailings into waterways that feed local drinking water supplies could cause contamination. http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/southside-antiuranium-legislators-write-mcdonnell

February 9, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general