2005 Cautionary Facts Sent to General Assembly

Friday, February 29, 2008

Dear Delegates and Senators,

It was not until I delved into researching uranium mining and milling that I began to realize there is much more to this issue than what has conveniently been glossed over in the political realm in the name of "energy exploration."

Now I feel it necessary to send just a sample of the studies to each of you, such as the one below conducted by US researchers and published in 2005:

"Further research is needed, with particular attention on the impact of uranium on indigenous populations, on routes of exposure in communities near uranium sites, on the combined exposures present at many uranium sites, on human developmental defects, and on health effects at or below established exposure standards."--Abstract of "Exposure Pathways and Health Effects Associated with Chemical and Radiological Toxicity of Natural Uranium: A Review"; By Doug Brugge,Jamie L. de Lemos and Beth Oldmixon; Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University, School of Medicine , Boston , MA 02111 , U.S.A. ; published in "Reviews On Environmental Health" Volume 20, No. 3, 2005.

Also in the review:

"We should keep in mind that the risks from uranium exposure are still being discovered. There is more than enough convincing evidence that uranium is hazardous to human health. In our opinion, the most stringent exposure standards should be applied as evidence continues to accumulate."

Since this is probably not the last time uranium mining and milling will come before you, please do take time to read up on it when you can. And if any of you would like additional materials, don't hesitate to ask. Also, you can visit www.wise-uranium.org for further information.

If you open the Commonwealth up to uranium mining and milling, you will put many more communities and natural resources at risk. The documentation is there.

Thank you again for your attention to an issue that is too important to gloss over.

(signed) Annette Ayres

Born, raised and colleged-educated in the beautiful state of Virginia