In another rejection of legislative attempts to lift
Virginia’s thirty-year ban on uranium mining, the Virginia Municipal League AND
the Virginia Association of Counties publicly came out in opposition of uranium
mining in the state.
The Virginia Association of Counties, which represents
Virginia’s 95 counties, called for the ban to continue “pending further study.”[1]
The Virginia Municipal League, which represents every city
in Virginia, 157 towns, and 10 counties, noted worries about environmental and
health issues related to uranium milling, mining, and disposal of radioactive
tailings.
In response to these public announcements, a spokesman for
Virginia Uranium Inc., Patrick Wales, stated he “was perplexed”[2]
by the Virginia Municipal League’s and the Virginia Association of Counties
stances because Virginia Uranium has promised the below-grade storage of
uranium tailings. Well Mr. Wales, you’ll have to excuse these groups, and
Virginians in general, for not entirely trusting your promises.
Wales stated, "We've
committed to bring the tailings below grade and that seems to be something that
everyone is in general agreement on and takes the massive release of tailings
off the table. I don’t know why that doesn’t seem to be getting though.”[3]
Here is the rub of this issue, and the reason why Virginia
Uranium Inc. (VUI) isn’t “getting through” to the majority of Virginians.
Virginia Uranium Inc. BELIEVES that uranium mining and milling can be done
safely in Virginia. But when tasked with evidence to prove their case, VUI and
their proponents cite studies from regions that have ecologies entirely
different than southern Virginia’s. Thus, they are comparing apples to oranges.
Most Virginians have seen the dilemma in this kind of
reasoning and have remained skeptical about the safety of uranium mining as a
consequence. But VUI just doesn’t seem to get this; it’s not “getting through”
to VUI.
And here’s another problem: is VUI willing to submit to
specific terms of liability that will not leave Virginians on the hook for any
foul-ups that may occur? To date, I haven’t seen any evidence that VUI is
willing to assuage this element of concern among Virginians.
But please VUI, by all means continue to look at this issue
through your own propaganda and erroneous beliefs. With all of the money and
influence behind your company and its goals, you will ultimately lose out
because you can’t “get through” to the people of Virginia. Why? Because
Virginians see the issue of uranium mining as a not-so-cut-and-dry issue of
human and environmental health that can be alleviated by a few empty promises.
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