Published: September 24, 2008
To the editor:
There are a lot of veterans like myself in Chatham and throughout Pittsylvania County that have put their lives on the line in foreign lands to protect their families from harm’s way. Then you have things happen that you have no control over, like 9/11, that kills thousands.
But there are things happening now in Pittsylvania County that veterans and everyday people can do something about. Virginia Uranium Inc. wants to mine and mill uranium in an open pit mine. It will have to be done by blasting with dynamite. The dust and tailings — which is rock containing uranium crushed to dust that will be left behind at the mining site, never to be cleaned up — from the mining and the milling is radioactive and can get into the air we breathe and the water we drink. Tens of thousands of Virginians can be affected by this if this company gets the OK to mine.
We need to stand together and say no! It won’t only affect us as adults, but our children, grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.
VUI says it can do it safely, but it can’t control Mother Nature and accidents. Like at any job, accidents happen — no matter how safe you are. Most of the time, those accidents will only hurt one or two people. But if an accident happens in mining and milling, there is no telling how many people will be affected.
There is a group of people called Southside Concerned Citizens and other citizens that are giving educational seminars in Virginia. This group is trying to teach people about the hazards of uranium mining.
VUI has a lot of money backing them and lobbyists in Richmond trying to get the mining and milling approved.
So I am asking veterans and good hard-working people of Chatham and Pittsylvania County to say no to the mining and milling of uranium in Virginia for the good and safety of this generation — and generations to come.
ALLEN E. GROSS
Chatham
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