2012
VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Breaking News: Governor McDonnell directs state agencies to bypass General Assembly & craft uranium regulations!
The 2012 Virginia General Assembly was officially gaveled into its long sixty day session on Wednesday, January 11th. While the opening House of Delegates session was predictable, the Senate of Virginia’s first day proved more lively given the 20-20 split between democrats and republicans produced by November’s election. Throughout the session, frequently review our 2012 Bill Chart of VALCV positions on important proposals, additional information on issues under consideration and Action Items with which your help is needed. You may also review the 2012 Conservation Briefing Book detailing the conservation community’s top issues and please mark January 23rd on your calendar and plan to join us for Conservation Lobby Day!
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URANIUM MINING
COMING TO A VIRGINIA TOWN NEAR YOU?
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element, U on the Periodic Table. It occurs naturally in the ground, but when exposed to air and water, radiation is released into the environment.
Large uranium deposits were discovered in Virginia during the 1970s and in the early 1980s uranium mining leases were executed on 40,000 uranium-rich acres in Southside Virginia and on another 16,000 acres in Fauquier, Madison, Culpeper and Orange Counties.
In 1982 Virginia considered the risks and benefits of opening Virginia up to uranium mining and placed a ban on such activities due to the numerous health and environmental concerns. Now a Canadian company is lobbying for the ban to be lifted and Virginians are mobilizing for a historic fight.
Virtually all uranium mining in the US has occurred in the arid, sparsely populated regions of the West. In these areas and other parts of the world, uranium extraction and processing have caused serious problems, including: contamination of ground and surface water; millions of tons of radioactive mining waste; and increased birth defeats, leukemia, and childhood cancer for the surrounding public.
There is no precedent for large-scale mining, milling and transportation of uranium in eastern states such as Virginia, where the population density puts more people at risk and where a much wetter climate dramatically increases the chance of radiation contaminating streams and groundwater.
The first mining site proposed is in the Mill Creek watershed, which drains into Bannister River, and ultimately Albemarle-Pamlico Sound – after passing through Lake Gaston, a drinking water supply for Virginia Beach. As you can see from the map of uranium deposits above, if the ban is lifted, Virginia could see uranium operations throughout most of the Commonwealth.
Virginia has no regulations governing uranium mining and the federal government has virtually no experience regulating the activity in a wet climate. The actual and perceived threats from mining uranium will negatively impact every aspect of Virginia life, from water supplies and agriculture products to tourism and property values.
The most in-depth coverage to date from the Natural Resources News Service
