Many Oppose Uranium Jobs

posted 6:23 pm Mon February 09, 2009 - Pittsylvania Co., VA
reporter: Sarah Bloom posted by: Amy Foster, from ABC 13

It's led to a lot of heated debate in Pittsylvania County.

Should a company be allowed to mine uranium there? There are millions of pounds of the stuff - worth billions of dollars.

But folks are worried about the side effects.

Virginia Uranium Incorporated is pumping the economic benefits, in the form of 300 to 500 jobs, with starting salaries of $65,000 to $70,000.

With having a job almost a luxury these days, news of hundreds of possible openings is eye opening.

Pamela Watkins - "I would say... give me one!"

Sandra Barnes - "I would be saying hooray! You know, a lot of our problem here is we're really suffering because we have no jobs left."

That many jobs at that salary, sounds pretty good right now. A stop at the Community Services building, will put the economic squeeze into perspective fast.

Jay Browns, Pittsylvania Co. Community Services - "Lines out the doors. A lot of times, we open at 8:30 each day, and a lot of times when we get here, the parking lot is full and there is a line waiting to get in to apply for benefits."

But that enthusiasm is terrifying to people like Eloise Nenon. She's spent hours fighting the mining industry.

Eloise Nenon, Against Mining - "In areas where they have uranium mining you have horrendous birth defects, you have rampant lung cancer, and many other physical problems."

Health doesn't seem to concern the people we spoke with. They say they believe in the dangers. Right now, they're just worried about putting food on the table.

Sarah - "Is that putting your health at a price?"

Barnes - "Breathing puts your health at a price right now, so it's we've got to decide what's more important."

For Nenon, and others opposed to mining, that's a frightening realization.

Barbara Hancock, Against Mining - "As a nurse, I feel any amount of money wouldn't be worth living in those conditions."

And a decision fueled by what opponents say, are false promises.

Nenon - "Why would they hire local people when there are experienced miners? And there are a lot of those not that far away!"

The representative we spoke with from Virginia Uranium told us the company would absolutely hire locally, and train those people extensively.

Still, those opposed say they'll believe it when they see it and hope they never do.

Surface Blasting

For those living in the vicinity of Coles Hill, this web page should be required reading. Virginia Uranium Inc.proposes open pit mining of uranium for a period of 30 years. Even if naysayers discount the environmental pollution and health risks posed by a uranium mining and milling facility to its neighboring communities, the physical effects of its operation will not be so easily dismissed.

http://www.dmme. virginia. gov/DMM/training materials. shtml

Under Training Materials, click on:

SURFACE BLASTER’S CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDE

Not only will we be exposed to low-level radioactive dust fallout from a uranium mining and milling facility, we will have to become accustomed to daily, successive TNT blasts-- for 30 years no less!!! (Maybe there will be no blasting on weekends or holidays?)

Study Guide Excepts:

Page 50:

It has been found that windows are probably the weakest part of a structure that will be exposed to air blast, they are most apt to suffer damage. Poorly mounted panes that are prestressed will be cracked and broken most easily. Extremely high overpressure could cause the formation of exterior masonry cracks or interior plaster cracks.

Although it is possible that high air blast overpressure could cause structural damage; those produced by routine blasting operations under normal atmospheric conditions are not likely to do so. The principal effects are most often 1) a slight overpressure that rattles windows and 2) noise that startles people. The rattling windows and noise may leave them under the impression that their house was violently shaken by blasting. Complaints may result if the subjective response of the people is such that the disturbance is annoying or intolerable.

Page 56:

The public relations problems involving blasting have increased in the past years. The increased difficulty that blasters face with public relations is the result of urban expansion and the commencement of surface operations near densely populated areas. When blast effects intrude upon the public's comfort, strained relations usually arise between operators and surrounding communities.

The two most common complaint problems are air blast and ground vibration. Blasting produces ground vibration and airblast that can result in structural response at off-site buildings. This perceived motion could be very disturbing to homeowners; therefore, it is advantageous to establish good public relations with nearby neighbors. Most homeowners mistakenly believe that any motion of window glass or house structure originates from ground vibration striking the foundation of the house, when in fact the concussion element of airblast is often the culprit. DMM Safety & Health Regulations establish maximum limits for both ground vibration and airblast based on comprehensive studies conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM).

Considering the last paragraph, has VUI begun to establish good public relations with its nearby neighbors, by explaining how surface blasting (open pit mining) is going to affect them? Or, is it like the low-level radioactive dust fallout from a uranium mining and milling facility: we will just have to learn to live with it?

Anne Cockrell

Notes from Gregg:

1) How will the Chatham Fault line be affected by all of this blasting? Will we have earthquakes? They will be blasting right on the fault line!

2) Will your insurance cover any damage from the mine, e.g. radioactive dust contamination, decrease of property value, damage caused by blasting (this will surely lower property values), etc. Better ask your agent. I did and the answer was "NO"! Nor could I get additional coverage for this.

3) I don't know about you, but no amount of public relations, propaganda, or glad handing, as blasters are apparently trained to do, will EVER convince me to live with the dust (can't live with it, it will kill you) or the constant blasting.

4) Thanks for this Anne!