Group calls for uranium mining solution

Published: February 9, 2009
BY JOHN R. CRANE
Register & Bee staff writer

CHATHAM — A founding member of Southside Concern Citizens asked the Chatham Town Council to pass a resolution calling for a study to determine whether uranium can be mined safely in the commonwealth, as well as a companion study to examine issues other than scientific aspects.

The resolution needs to be broader than the one passed by the town of Hurt last week, Eloise Nenon, SCC founding member, said to Chatham Town Council members Monday night. Like Hurt’s, Chatham’s resolution should call for the study to open to scrutiny by the press and public, but another study should address concerns not covered in the study’s “hard science”
aspects, Nenon said.

“We need something more than what the town of Hurt has done,” Nenon said during Chatham Town Council’s regular meeting.

Nenon praised Hurt’s move, but said a study by the National Academy of Science, or another similar entity, would not cover issues such as the community, heritage or history of Chatham and Pittsylvania County or quality-of-life issues.

Nenon said Hargrave Military Academy and Chatham Hall could be vulnerable to the environmental effects of uranium mining and milling.

Other questions Nenon wants answered is what type of emergency plan Chatham has in place in case of disaster.

Nenon also wants to know the names of at least five communities with similar geography to Pittsylvania County that have had uranium mining and milling but have not suffered environmental consequences. In addition, Nenon asked who would be held liable in the event of a disaster at Coles Hill.

Dust at uranium mining sites has never been controlled, she said.

“Are we destined to become the Pittsylvania dustbowl?” Nenon said.

Nenon said the National Trust for Historic Preservation could possibly conduct a separate study.

The town of Chatham passed a resolution opposing the lifting of the state’s moratorium against uranium mining in the absence of a thorough study in February 2008. Chatham Mayor George Haley said he would discuss Nenon’s request with the town manager and report back to the council.

VUI wants to mine and mill a uranium ore deposit at Coles Hill six miles northeast of Chatham.
Patrick Wales, a geologist and spokesman for Virginia Uranium Inc, said profits made from mining and milling at Coles Hill would go toward land conservation and maintaining the area’s history and agriculture. VUI would impose an excise tax on itself and use the funds to help pay for initiatives to improve the county’s schools, Wales said during a phone interview Monday night after the meeting.

All VUI has asked for is a study to determine the safety of mining and milling uranium, he said. Also, the study has nothing to do with lifting the moratorium on mining, he said. That decision will be up to the General Assembly, Wales said.

John Crane can be reached at jcrane@registerbee.com