Listen to some facts for a moment...
Not even ONE comment so far has addressed the real problem with uranium mining in Virginia. I'm no fan of the VB City Council either, but let's give them a LITTLE credit for PERHAPS knowing a few things that YOU all might not know! Here are some interesting (and indisputable) observations about uranium mining:
Even the highest grade deposits contain less than 1% uranium. So huge amounts of ore have to be processed to get useful quantities of uranium. The leftover waste rock is called tailings. In the course of processing it is crushed to a fine powder, which is almost as radioactive as the uranium itself.
As uranium emits radiation, it transforms itself into a new element, which in turn emits radiation and decays, until it eventually - after multiple thousands of years - becomes a stable form of non-radioactive lead. One of the elements along the way is radon, a radioactive gas. Mine workers and others who breathe in this gas risk developing lung cancer and other forms of lung disease.
Uranium mining contaminates the air, water and earth with radioactive chemicals and heavy metals which can never be properly cleaned up. In addition to the radiation hazard, mining is also
"Virginia Beach officials
"Virginia Beach officials are recommending"
Which officials???
Legitimate concerns re: uranium
Anyone who has lived far enough inland knows it's not uncommon for a tropical system trucking up from the Gulf or in from the Atlantic to stall and dump inches of rain -- and cause flash flooding. And anyone who has seen what flash flooding can do knows there is nothing that could guarantee absolute protection of neighboring properties, streams and rivers from stormwater runoff from what would be a very large open pit mine. Wonder how fast it would take for the pit to breach? Want to find out? What would be the plan to attempt to remediate the streams and rivers if there was contamination? How quickly would residents downstream be notified? Who would be responsible? Who would pay for it?
As for "energy independence," wake up. That yellowcake could be sold on the world market to the highest bidder. And a large foreign-owned company could also snatch up this little exploration company and sell the product wherever it chooses. With more and more companies going belly up these days, you ought to be concerned about who would purchase VUI if they ran into financial difficulties. Then what? Who pays for the millions it would cost to eventually decommission the uranium mill? If history is
One comment and one question.
Comment: The city opposes the mining because they would not gain financially from it. The safety of mining in this day and age is far superior than the way such materials were mined years ago.
Question: The basic story in a news paper should say who, what , when, where and how. The first line "Virginia Beach Officials"...who are the bozos and what makes them mining and weather experts. Probably someone sitting at a desk and heard a comment" Hey they are going to mine uranium..." so made up a study and became official. The headline was more correct "staff" or support personnel. Someone who does a lot of everything. And again - as per the headline - what staff?
The city
What is the chance of flooding with a tropical system?
I think the Navy put bigger objections over offshore drilling because of the various training ranges in the VACAPES area than the city did. Also, I'd like to know the chance of flooding due to a tropical storm, tropical depression, etc. from a system coming from the Gulf of Mexico or Florida. Flooding from tropical systems is always more damaging than high wind damage from a hurricane or tropical storm. Contamination of a city reservoir should concern anyone.
Ignorance before research
If this uranium deposit is where I think it is, my ex-wife's father is going to be rich, but I digress.
Does city council expect a hurricane to pick up the ore and drop in 100 miles south?
You guys are making the global warming zealots look sane in comparison...
Yes I agree we must oppose
Yes I agree we must oppose the mining project in Pitt county. So what if that area of Virginia is plaqued with the highest unemployment rate of the state and one of the highest in the country. So what if the mining would help increase our energy independence. Who cares if this project would help alleviate suffering by high energy costs and unemployment in the middle of our state. There is a minuscle chance that a hurricane would hit the Pitt County area due to the fact that is over 200 miles inland. Also contrary to popular belief they are many intelligent people that area that will be able to mine the area safely and effectively providing even greater protection to our drinking water.
But as usual here our City Council goes again not considering what in the best interest of the country or the state but feeling that good ole VB should be treated as the royal pricess of the state and nothing that may remotely harm he should be done. While we are at it we should kick the military out of Hampton Roads they place us at high risk for terrorist attack. Oh wait they provide the city revenue illustrating the difference between the mining project and the military. One provides reve
Consider It More
Not sure what power, if any, the City of Virginia Beach has here, other than making its voice heard to Federal and/or State governments that DO HAVE THE POWER to actually act on this matter. This situation deserves thorough review, rather than just a knee jerk "Not in my backyard!" response. Is there potential for significant economic gain here, both for our community and for the state? A study of the risks vs. the rewards should be done to evaluate and weigh all sides of the issue. Let's at least hear what the proponents have to say.
Of course, NIMBY at its finest
After all, why should Virginia Beach be, in even a small way, a part of the solution to our energy problems.
We can't have oil or gas exploration because someone on the top of one of the hotels might see the glow of a light on the top of an oil rig over the horizon.
Now we can't have fuel for nuclear energy produced in Virginia because there is a slight risk that a freak hurricane that never has happened before that far inland might cause some run off into Gaston.
If the rest of the nation took VA Beach's example to heart, we would all freeze in the dark.
Ask the Navahos
I guess you can look at what the Navahos in New Mexico think about mining uranium on their tribal lands. There are objections to in situ leach mining too. I hope that more details come out about the Virginia Beach staff recommendation. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as far as knowing what they are doing.