It's crunch time at the General Assembly. The 2008 session is supposed to wrap up Saturday, but that can certainly be extended as legislators struggle to finish their work for the year.
While nearly everything the General Assembly does affects this community in one way or the other, the uranium mining study bill could have the biggest impact on the Dan River Region.
Since January, we've supported a state study of uranium mining. Based on the best surveys to date, 110 million pounds of uranium ore sits under Coles Hill just northeast of Chatham.
The study bill has worked its way through the state Senate and now sits before the House of Delegates Rules Committee, which could take up the bill Monday afternoon.
The House of Delegates could kill the study bill, or it's possible the General Assembly could approve a study but not appropriate any money to conduct it.
While the bill that passed the Senate covers issues that need to be explored, a recent portion of the Senate's proposed budget included an amendment that, "instructs the Division of Mines, Minerals and Energy to assess 'the feasibility of establishing, implementing, and overseeing a state program for the regulation of uranium mining'" The News & Advance of Lynchburg reported.
It would be a mistake for the commonwealth to start writing regulations for uranium mining at the same it's considering a study of the basic questions surrounding this issue. Even the study bill that passed the Senate places regulations after a study of the environmental, financial and safety issues.
Attempts to get the Division of Mines, Minerals and Energy started on uranium mining regulations wastes time and money on something that may never be put into use. It assumes that the state study will make the case for uranium mining. It also assumes the uranium mining moratorium will eventually be lifted.
Finally and worst of all, it underscores the opposition's argument that uranium mining is being pushed on the people without their consent or consideration for what's best for property values, air and water quality and the future of the Dan River Region.
Is that the message the General Assembly wants to send?
We remain committed to a study of the issues surrounding uranium mining. But it would be a mistake for Virginia to consider uranium mining regulations right now - unless the state has already made up its mind about this issue.
Ann Cockrell's Letter to the Editor:
To the Editors:
Mr. Benson:
I am sending this e-mail to you as well as several other newspapers. It is lengthy, but I do hope that you will print my concerns.
Anne Cockrell
520 Sycamore Circle
Danville, Virginia 24540
(434) 791-4930
"Nothing to Regulate" was the title to the Sunday, March 2, 2008, Opinion Page commentary of the Danville Register & Bee newspaper, in Danville, Virginia. It stated, "Since January, we've supported a state study of uranium mining."
Well, isn't that a comfort that one of Southside area's newspapers has been supporting a study that could very well overturn the statewide moratorium on uranium mining, in place since 1982? The newspaper cites the existing 110 million pounds of uranium ore which sits under Coles Hill just northeast of Chatham. It also notes how the bill has already worked its way (it failed to mention that it moved rapid-fire) through the Senate and is now before the House of Delegates Rules Committee.
Yes, still perusing through this newspaper's commentary, it's a bit unsettling that the Senate's proposed budget included an amendment that (to, again, quote the newspaper), "instructs the Division of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) to assess 'the feasibility of establishing, implementing, and overseeing a state program for the regulation of uranium mining.'"
I do applaud this newspaper's recognizing that it "would be a mistake for the commonwealth to start writing regulations for uranium mining at the same time it's considering a study of the basic questions surrounding this issue." Yes, it would seem that our elected officials, in the Richmond General Assembly, are putting the cart before the horse.
The newspaper's commentary wisely points out that "attempts to get the DMME started on uranium mining regulations wastes time and money on something that may never be put into use." Further, "It assumes that the state study will make the case for uranium mining...and the uranium mining moratorium will eventually be lifted." How ironic. The vote for the proposed study, which would look at the feasibility and safety of uranium mining in Virginia, hasn't even happened, yet our elected officials are busy trying to get uranium mining regulations written. One has to wonder: what do they know that we don't?
In conclusion, the newspaper commentary states that "it underscores the opposition's argument that uranium mining is being pushed on the people without their consent or consideration for what's best for property values, air and water quality and the future of the Dan River Region." Yes, most people (Virginians) would agree with that assessment! The question of uranium mining has not been put before the citizens of Virginia. In fact, it's moving rapid-fire through the House of Delegates Rules Committee, and it could vote on the issue as early as today (3-3-08). Barring some reason the issue is tabled for this legislative session, we will most assuredly see the issue come up in a future session.
Question: What's the rush? Uranium mining will, repeat, will impact the state of Virginia in the areas of property values, air and water quality and the future of the Dan River Region (to quote the newspaper again). This issue should not be decided by a handful of elected politicians in the Richmond General Assembly. The vote should go to the people of Virginia and especially to those residents of Southside Virginia who call this "sacrifice zone" their home. They are being left out of the discussion entirely. Just how democratic is that?
What the newspaper also fails to mention is that the state of Virginia has applied for OAS (Organization of Agreement States) status. This organization, from what I've learned, grants states oversight of certain activities regarding radioactivity. Again, our elected officials are placing the cart before the horse: the study hasn't even been voted on, but the state of Virginia is seeking membership with an organization dealing with the oversight of activities regarding radioactivity?
Lastly, our legislators are busy, busy looking at ways to get our state to accept low-level radioactive waste. Senate Joint Resolution NO. 133, proposed by the Senate Committee on Rules, on February 1, 2008, requests the Department of Health "to study long-term options for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste." Now, it seems that not only do our legislators want the state of Virginia to begin uranium mining, the state is also going to become a depository for our and other states' low-level radioactive waste(s).
Is there any wonder that the citizens of Virginia are suspicious of the actions of their elected officials in the General Assembly? Should we not have a say in issues which could, and probably will, negatively impact the entire state? Are we right to be suspicious of a "proposed study" which would study the safety and feasibility of uranium mining in Virginia when we are well aware that members of the General Assembly, at the very same time, are pushing the DMME to write uranium mining regulations? Forgive my cynicism, but I just don't believe Virginia's best interests are being considered. Corporate greed and the push to go nuclear seems to be the General Assembly's only considerations. Until the citizens of Virginia are allowed an opportunity to voice their opinion regarding uranium mining in this state, by vote, the state's moratorium on uranium mining should be upheld.
Anne Cockrell
Danville, Virginia
1 comment:
I would encourage people who visit your blog to also read www.va-uranium.blogspot.com, where they can get facts and figures from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and legitimate scientists.
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