Supervisors reject third uranium resolution

Comment: the so call Chairman said no more resolutions so we want an ordinance to ban uranium mining and milling instead!!!


TIM DAVIS/Star-Tribune EditorWednesday,

March 25, 2009 9:26 AM EDT

The third time wasn't the charm for another uranium resolution before the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors last Tuesday night.Supervisors rejected it 4-3.


Voting no were Westover District(Where is Westover District, I thought the City of Danville annexed back in the 1980's, there is not a County Westover District, maybe we need to rename the district!!!) Supervisor Coy Harville, Tunstall District Supervisor Tim Barber, Banister District Supervisor William Pritchett and Dan River District Supervisor James Snead.

Chatham-Blairs District Supervisor Henry "Hank" Davis Jr., Staunton River District Supervisor Marshall Ecker and Callands-Gretna District Supervisor Fred Ingram supported the resolution.

The resolution was similar to one adopted unanimously by the board in February, but went further by asking the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission not to accept as evidence "experimental or unproven" mining practices.Proposed by Davis, it also urged the study committee not to consider mining practices in "environmental, demographical, topographical, geographical and meteorological environmental conditions inconsistent with those at the proposed Pittsylvania County mine site.(Thanks, Mr. Davis, at least you are trying to protect us!)


"The Board of Supervisors is resolved to do all within its power to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Pittsylvania County," the proposed resolution stated, "and thus condemns any mining practice lacking in empirical data or resulting in experimentation....

"Pittsylvania County is home to one of the largest uranium deposits in the United States.The Coles Hill deposit, about six miles northeast of Chatham, was discovered in the late 1970s and is worth between $8 billion and $10 billion.The Coal and Energy Commission agreed to study the dangers and benefits of uranium mining in November.Its Uranium Mining Subcommittee met Tuesday in Richmond to define the study, which is expected to take about two years.

"We don't want to be a guinea pig for mining," said Davis.

"The main thing is we want to keep our citizens safe.

"Other supervisors, however, have had their fill of uranium resolutions.

"I can't support any more resolutions," said Harville, the board's chairman. "Every time we turn around we've got another one.

"Harville supports the uranium mining study.(He always wants the so call jobs from uranium mining, are the uranium miners laid off at this time???))


Pritchett agreed."I'm totally against uranium mining if it can't be done safely," said the Banister District supervisor, "but I think we need to let the study go ahead."

Ecker said he didn't see any harm in sending another resolution to the study committee.

"We need to make sure we have exercised everything we can do," he said.

In February, supervisors adopted a resolution calling for no damage to residents of the county, its businesses, institutions and environment from uranium mining as opposed to a "cost-benefit approach or accepting minimized damages."

Davis, who presented that resolution as well, said it expressed "zero tolerance" for hazards from uranium mining.Supervisors' first resolution in 2007 called for a neutral, comprehensive legislative study on uranium mining.

Several residents spoke about uranium mining at last week's meeting in Chatham.

Emily Watlington, who lives in the Whittles community between Chatham and Gretna, asked supervisors to "prayerfully and intelligently" consider the consequences of uranium mining.

"It may be greater than Pandora's box," she said. "This may be a mistake we can't correct.

"Phillip Lovelace of Gretna warned that uranium mining could hurt property values, which in turn would lower tax revenue for the county.

"If you ruin our beautiful county by letting our real estate values drop, you're cutting your own throat," he said.

Deborah Dix of Blairs said the county needs ordinances, not resolutions. Dix urged supervisors to ban uranium mining.

Virginia has had a moratorium on uranium mining since 1982

.mailto:1982.tim.davis@chathamstartribune.com