No Yellowcake for Me, Thank You!

(Editorial from the Halifax County Gazette-Virginian 10/11/2007)

BY Sonny Riddle
G-V STAFF WRITER

The possibility of uranium mining has once again reared its head in our area. For those of you who don't know, a rich deposit of uranium ore was discovered about 25 years ago near Chatham in Pittsylvania County.
Marline Uranium, Inc. had intentions of mining and milling the ore deposit estimated to contain about 110 million pounds of uranium. To make a long process short, the uranium ore would be mined and milled into a form called "yellow cake."This "yellow cake" is converted for use as a source of energy at nuclear power plants.
Efforts spearheaded by a group of concerned citizens and landowners in Halifax County and surrounding localities 25 years ago led to Virginia's enacting a moratorium on uranium mining in the Commonwealth.Now, there is renewed interest in extracting the uranium and a new company, Virginia Uranium, Inc., has been formed for that purpose.
And so it begins! If mining and milling operations become a reality, it could mean 400 to 700 new jobs in Pittsylvania County.With current unemployment figures at 6.4-percent in Pittsylvania County and 6.3-percent in Halifax County, that many new jobs so nearby would be a boon to the economies of both counties.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has encouraged Virginia to find alternative sources of fuel and power so we won't be so dependent upon petroleum and petroleum-based fuels.The General Assembly has also taken a stand on weaning the state from petroleum and its derivitives. The uranium at Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County has been estimated at around $10 billion in value, and Virginia Uranium, Inc. anticipates putting shares up for sale to individual investors on the open market in the future.
There's money to be made if the project comes tofruition, but what threat would a uranium mining and milling operation in nearby Pittsylvania County poseon the environment and ground water supply in HalifaxCounty?
The mining and milling of uranium is a touchy subject with environmentalists. Most are not satisfied that the process could be done safely without harming the environment. Geologists at Virginia Tech who havestudied the uranium ore deposit at Coles Hill have indicated that the deposit shows no signs of leakage into the surrounding soil and rocks.
But what happens when mining operations begin? What are the chances that leakage will occur when machinery begins digging ore out of the ground? Can anyone assure the citizens and landowners of Halifax County that our water supply will remain untainted by the uranium tailings left behind by the operations? I don't think so!
Although investors could stand to profit from the operation, how can we place a monetary value on our health and safety and that of our children. Who is to say that our water supply won't become tainted in the future?
We must protect our children and future generations.We owe it to them to provide a healthy environment in which they can grow and thrive. As always, this is my opinion.and you know about opinions.everybody has one. But I feel this is important.
My daughter and son-in-law own a house in a rural part of Halifax County, and I don't want to jeopardize the health and well being of any children they may have in the future. Our children and their children will be forced to deal with any mistakes we may make in regards to the environment.
No one likes to clean up someone else's mess, and that's what future generations may be doomed to do if we damage our environment by permitting uranium mining and milling so close to our county.I would like to think that we have better sense than to sacrifice our children's future for the sake of money and alternative fuel.
True, we need to find additional sources of alternative energy, but not at the expense of harming our environment. I believe Halifax County is worth more than uranium ...... at anyprice!