Comment: No uranium mining and milling in Virginia!
By Catherine Amos
Published: June 7, 2009
Across the commonwealth Tuesday, Virginia’s voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the Democratic candidates in the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s races. Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, former delegate Brian Moran and state Sen. Creigh Deeds are vying for the chance to run against Republican nominee Bob McDonnell for governor in the fall. Former secretary of finance Jody Wagner and national security expert Mike Signer are running for lieutenant governor.
Danville registrar Peggy Petty expects less than 5 percent of the city’s nearly 29,300 registered voters to participate in the primary. Pittsylvania County registrar Jenny Lee Sanders estimated about 2 percent of the 41,500 county voters would vote.
“For a primary, it’s usually very small,” Sanders said.
THE CANDIDATES ON LOCAL ISSUES
Creigh Deeds
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. Energy independence is a matter of national and economic security. We’re going to need a mix of energy from all sources and I don’t think any option should be taken off the table until the science takes them off the table. When I lived in Danville after first graduating law school, one of the first groups I joined was the Southside Concerned Citizens, because my concerns about uranium mining in Pittsylvania are the same as they are today. Heavy annual rainfall creates a serious risk of radioactive tailings poisoning the water supply. I look forward to reviewing the upcoming study of these risks, but without scientific evidence to the contrary, I will remain opposed to mining uranium in Southside.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. Creating jobs is the best way to grow our economy and ensure opportunity throughout Virginia. My three-point job creation agenda will restore confidence in the economy and help middle-class families with new job opportunities and the chance to train for a new career. As governor, I’ll grow our economy and invest in the middle class through a groundbreaking jobs proposal that will make Virginia a leader in the green jobs and 21st century careers in alternative and renewable energy, including a new switch-grass production facility in Southside. Through my Better Schools, Better Jobs initiative, we’ll guarantee student loans for every Virginia attending a state community college or four-year institution. And, to make higher education affordable and accessible to everyone, I have a detailed plan to expand community colleges with new job training opportunities and increase capacity for in-state students at our colleges and universities.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. In my first year as governor, I will make the first significant investment in our transportation system in a generation in order to create jobs and spur economic growth throughout the commonwealth. In order for Southside to flourish, we need to put in place the transportation infrastructure that businesses need to move goods and services. Its time to stop pitting one region of our state against another and advance a statewide vision for transportation that includes completing projects like U.S. Route 58 from Virginia Beach to Cumberland Gap, investing in high-speed rail, and conducting a major upgrade of public transportation. We need to think long-term but we have to act now. Our antiquated transportation system prevents economic development in every corner of the commonwealth and it’s costing us jobs.
Brian Moran
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. Our top priority has to be the safety and security of Virginia families. That’s why I have serious concerns about uranium mining in Virginia. I am especially concerned that the waste could contaminate rivers and streams and our water supplies. Unlike the other candidates for governor, I do not believe an industry-funded study will give us the answer. If we cannot show that uranium mining is safe through a truly independent study, we should not move forward. As governor, I’ll always be fighting for Virginia’s families, to protect your health and safety.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. As their legislative point man, I worked with Gov. Warner and Kaine to bring jobs to rural Virginia and expand unemployment benefits. As governor, I will continue this important work by expanding rural Virginia’s agriculture, tourism, energy and technology economies. My administration will capitalize on Virginia’s strengths in agribusiness and agritourism by expanding marketing around the nation and the world. We can strengthen rural Virginia’s technology economy by expanding affordable broadband access and increasing courses in high-demand fields at Virginia Tech, the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, and community colleges to put Virginians back to work.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. I have a proven record of fighting alongside Gov. Warner and Kaine to invest in our roads, expand options for mass transit, and improve rail in Virginia. My transportation investment can create 35,000 new jobs. Improving transportation infrastructure is especially critical to growing rural Virginia’s economy. I will focus on improvements, such as completing the widening of U.S. Route 58, paving state roads, and completing the Coalfields Expressway. As governor, I will work with my friend Delegate Ward Armstrong to make investing in Virginia’s rural transportation infrastructure a priority. I am proud to have Delegate Armstrong’s endorsement.
Terry McAuliffe
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. I will not support uranium mining if it is determined to put Virginians’ health or safety at risk. As governor, my first priority will be to protect the health and safety of Virginians. I want to ensure we have the best information on the health and environmental ramifications of uranium mining before we decide whether it could be done safely in Virginia. The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission recently commissioned a study on the subject, and I want that study to go forward.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. Under Gov. Warner and Kaine, Virginia has had many successes in job creation. But, the governor needs more tools to continue to grow our economy and attract the high-demand, high-wage jobs we need.
As governor, growing our economy will be my top priority. We can do that by implementing a mandatory renewable energy standard of 25 percent by 2025 to encourage renewable energy companies to locate here. We can use incentives to produce long-term economic growth and make sure our workforce is ready. And we can develop regional economic strategies built on the unique strengths of each region of Virginia.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. By 2018, Virginia will no longer have funds available for road construction. When the economy recovers, we must have an honest conversation about revenue for transportation so we can pay for projects like expanding U.S. Route 58 to allow for economic development in Southside — enabling easy access from the Port of Virginia to potential distribution facilities.
We should also focus on intermodal forms of transportation, like commuter rail and mass transit, in order to become more efficient, more respectful of our environment, and get people moving.
http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/article/a_quick_guide_to_tuesdays_primary/11568/
By Catherine Amos
Published: June 7, 2009
Across the commonwealth Tuesday, Virginia’s voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the Democratic candidates in the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s races. Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, former delegate Brian Moran and state Sen. Creigh Deeds are vying for the chance to run against Republican nominee Bob McDonnell for governor in the fall. Former secretary of finance Jody Wagner and national security expert Mike Signer are running for lieutenant governor.
Danville registrar Peggy Petty expects less than 5 percent of the city’s nearly 29,300 registered voters to participate in the primary. Pittsylvania County registrar Jenny Lee Sanders estimated about 2 percent of the 41,500 county voters would vote.
“For a primary, it’s usually very small,” Sanders said.
THE CANDIDATES ON LOCAL ISSUES
Creigh Deeds
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. Energy independence is a matter of national and economic security. We’re going to need a mix of energy from all sources and I don’t think any option should be taken off the table until the science takes them off the table. When I lived in Danville after first graduating law school, one of the first groups I joined was the Southside Concerned Citizens, because my concerns about uranium mining in Pittsylvania are the same as they are today. Heavy annual rainfall creates a serious risk of radioactive tailings poisoning the water supply. I look forward to reviewing the upcoming study of these risks, but without scientific evidence to the contrary, I will remain opposed to mining uranium in Southside.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. Creating jobs is the best way to grow our economy and ensure opportunity throughout Virginia. My three-point job creation agenda will restore confidence in the economy and help middle-class families with new job opportunities and the chance to train for a new career. As governor, I’ll grow our economy and invest in the middle class through a groundbreaking jobs proposal that will make Virginia a leader in the green jobs and 21st century careers in alternative and renewable energy, including a new switch-grass production facility in Southside. Through my Better Schools, Better Jobs initiative, we’ll guarantee student loans for every Virginia attending a state community college or four-year institution. And, to make higher education affordable and accessible to everyone, I have a detailed plan to expand community colleges with new job training opportunities and increase capacity for in-state students at our colleges and universities.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. In my first year as governor, I will make the first significant investment in our transportation system in a generation in order to create jobs and spur economic growth throughout the commonwealth. In order for Southside to flourish, we need to put in place the transportation infrastructure that businesses need to move goods and services. Its time to stop pitting one region of our state against another and advance a statewide vision for transportation that includes completing projects like U.S. Route 58 from Virginia Beach to Cumberland Gap, investing in high-speed rail, and conducting a major upgrade of public transportation. We need to think long-term but we have to act now. Our antiquated transportation system prevents economic development in every corner of the commonwealth and it’s costing us jobs.
Brian Moran
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. Our top priority has to be the safety and security of Virginia families. That’s why I have serious concerns about uranium mining in Virginia. I am especially concerned that the waste could contaminate rivers and streams and our water supplies. Unlike the other candidates for governor, I do not believe an industry-funded study will give us the answer. If we cannot show that uranium mining is safe through a truly independent study, we should not move forward. As governor, I’ll always be fighting for Virginia’s families, to protect your health and safety.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. As their legislative point man, I worked with Gov. Warner and Kaine to bring jobs to rural Virginia and expand unemployment benefits. As governor, I will continue this important work by expanding rural Virginia’s agriculture, tourism, energy and technology economies. My administration will capitalize on Virginia’s strengths in agribusiness and agritourism by expanding marketing around the nation and the world. We can strengthen rural Virginia’s technology economy by expanding affordable broadband access and increasing courses in high-demand fields at Virginia Tech, the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, and community colleges to put Virginians back to work.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. I have a proven record of fighting alongside Gov. Warner and Kaine to invest in our roads, expand options for mass transit, and improve rail in Virginia. My transportation investment can create 35,000 new jobs. Improving transportation infrastructure is especially critical to growing rural Virginia’s economy. I will focus on improvements, such as completing the widening of U.S. Route 58, paving state roads, and completing the Coalfields Expressway. As governor, I will work with my friend Delegate Ward Armstrong to make investing in Virginia’s rural transportation infrastructure a priority. I am proud to have Delegate Armstrong’s endorsement.
Terry McAuliffe
What is your position on uranium mining?
1. I will not support uranium mining if it is determined to put Virginians’ health or safety at risk. As governor, my first priority will be to protect the health and safety of Virginians. I want to ensure we have the best information on the health and environmental ramifications of uranium mining before we decide whether it could be done safely in Virginia. The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission recently commissioned a study on the subject, and I want that study to go forward.
What is your plan to increase rural economic development?
2. Under Gov. Warner and Kaine, Virginia has had many successes in job creation. But, the governor needs more tools to continue to grow our economy and attract the high-demand, high-wage jobs we need.
As governor, growing our economy will be my top priority. We can do that by implementing a mandatory renewable energy standard of 25 percent by 2025 to encourage renewable energy companies to locate here. We can use incentives to produce long-term economic growth and make sure our workforce is ready. And we can develop regional economic strategies built on the unique strengths of each region of Virginia.
What is your plan to improve Virginia’s transportation system?
3. By 2018, Virginia will no longer have funds available for road construction. When the economy recovers, we must have an honest conversation about revenue for transportation so we can pay for projects like expanding U.S. Route 58 to allow for economic development in Southside — enabling easy access from the Port of Virginia to potential distribution facilities.
We should also focus on intermodal forms of transportation, like commuter rail and mass transit, in order to become more efficient, more respectful of our environment, and get people moving.
http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/article/a_quick_guide_to_tuesdays_primary/11568/
No comments:
Post a Comment