Mining’s benefits won’t last forever

Comment: A Great Letter, Mr. Lovelace! Following articles are a few facts about the horrible affect of uranium mining will have on Virginia! Notice the beginning of each comment: "Mining’s benefits won’t last forever!"

By Published by The Editorial Board
Published: August 4, 2009

To the editor:

It saddens me to think some can only think of dollar signs and not the contamination and sickness from uranium mining and milling. We, the citizens, have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

I would like to know when the price of uranium drops if Virginia Uranium Inc. will handle its mining and milling operations like all the other mining companies in the world do? Will it stop operations temporarily or permanently until the price of uranium rises again?

Keep in mind, even if you are an experienced miner, these jobs could be part-time. You might be laid off for months. Can you support your family on a part-time job? Would you try and build or buy a house or buy a new vehicle knowing you might only work three to four months a year? White Mesa, the only milling facility in the United States, has only operated a few months this year and announced in May they would not process ore for the remainder of 2009 because their costs are higher than the spot price of uranium.

Let’s not forget about all the part-time tax revenue for our county and state. My understanding of the tax revenue from mining and milling operations is the company has to be running and the jobs being worked to get the tax revenue.

Our great state and county are not run on part-time taxes and jobs. It might help, but it does not outweigh the contamination of our drinking water and land, the sickness to our families and the tax increases to clean up this mess — if it ever could be cleaned up.

All I hear is we need to mine this uranium and get it out of the ground, it’s a matter of national security and we need to dig so we can power our nuclear plants now. Well, watch the price drop and you will see the mining stop.

The nuclear power plants still need the uranium whether the price is high or low, but we have an excess of uranium and the mining and milling will stop and start with the greed and costs of operations. If dug up, the radon released would be 10,000 times — yes, that is 10,000 — more than if left in the ground.

What I feel is a matter of national security is destroying your own water and agriculture land and then depending on foreign countries to feed you or provide you with drinking water.

PHILLIP LOVELACE

Gretna

http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/danville_letters/article/minings_benefits_wont_last_forever/12944/