Panel seeks facts

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:24 AM EST

An Altavista Town Council committee asked for more information Tuesday after looking at a proposed resolution on uranium mining in neighboring Pittsylvania County.After hearing from two mining opponents, the Legislative Committee said it wanted to know the state's position on uranium mining. Since 1982, Virginia has had a moratorium on mining.

"Personally, I think we're hearing one side of the story and we should write the state for their intentions," Councilman Mike Mattox said.Town Manager J. Waverly Coggsdale III will contact Del. Kathy Byron, Secretary of Natural Resources Preston Bryant and others for more information, including facts about a study being overseen by the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission.

The committee, which also includes council members Rayetta Webb and Bill Ferguson, will report to Altavista Town Council in March.Dr. Francis Carter, who attended the committee meeting, said he was satisfied with the panel's decision to seek more information.

"The state's rather quiet on this," he said.Carter and Deborah Lovelace presented the resolution at the Feb. 10 council meeting that, among other things, supported Altavista being part of the current study on the impact of uranium mining in Pittsylvania County.

Councils in Hurt and Gretna have adopted the resolution.At Tuesday's meeting, Carter praised town leaders for money being spent in downtown.

However, he said history has shown that uranium mines pollute in a 20-mile radius."We're within 15 miles of this mine."He said wind will carry radioactive particles and there's a danger of water holding ponds breaking.

Pittsylvania County is home to what is believed to be the largest uranium deposit in the United States, worth an estimated $10 billion. Virginia Uranium Inc. was formed two years ago to explore the possibility of mining the material.