By Bernard Baker
Published: August 23, 2008
GRETNA – Opponents of uranium mining in Pittsylvania County say the area is being used as a “sacrifice zone” for corporate profit.
About 75 people met Friday at Gretna Middle School for an education forum sponsored by Chatham-Pittsylvania County Southside Concerned Citizens.
Gregg Vickrey, chairman of the local group, said the area falls into the sacrifice zone category because of a small population, low incomes and lower educational standards.
“Uranium mining in Pittsylvania County is a bad, bad idea,” Vickrey said, adding he lives 6 miles from the possible mine site on Coles Hill.
Shireen Parsons, Virginia community organizer with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, said uranium mining in the county is a corporate assault. She said uranium mining has never been done safely.
Once mining takes place, the dust particles will contaminate everything they touch, Parsons said.
She contends some fortunate people will be bought out and other families will have to walk away from their homes, with those left behind forced to deal with the health hazards of uranium mining.
“Are you willing to be guinea pigs?” Parsons said.
Supporters of uranium mining said the committee is using half-truths and scare tactics.
Henry Hurt, an investor in Virginia Uranium, said opposition claims are outrageous.
“Calling us corporate terrorists is so silly when there are honest concerns that need to be addressed,” he said. “People around here are too intelligent to be fooled by such irrational nonsense.”
Hurt said it would be hard to enforce a broad ordinance banning radioactive materials, like that sought by Chatham Mayor George Haley, since it could be interpreted to ban trucks or trains that carry these materials from passing through the area.
The ordinance passed by the town of Halifax outlawing chemical trespassing has a provision to allow succession, he noted.
John Anderson, of Renan, wanted to know what oversight role federal agencies, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, would play.
Renan disagreed with Parsons’ view that the federal government would “rubber stamp” permits to OK mining operations.
“They just don’t rubber stamp these permits,” Anderson said, adding the federal government would probably want a say in what happens with the issue.
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