[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes] On Tuesday, Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell touted the benefits of allowing uranium mining in the state, saying that the industry would bring “a tremendous number of jobs, tax revenues and opportunities to support the nuclear industry.” The Governor went on to say that “if it can be done safely, then I’m all for it.” The Governor is waiting for an independent National Academy of Sciences study to be released in December before making a determination about whether to lift a moratorium on uranium mining in the state.
The Governor’s favorable comments came on the heels of another important endorsement. Last week Virginia and West Virginia chapters of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) formally announced their support for plans to develop the largest untapped uranium deposit in the U.S., located in Southside Virginia.
The Coles Hill uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County is believed to contain enough uranium to supply Virginia’s nuclear fuel needs for as many as 75 years.
In a statement, AIPG President Mike Lawless said that the Coles Hill project would “help our society move toward energy independence, which has both strategic and economic benefits.” The U.S. currently imports 86% of its uranium from foreign countries, including such major exporters as Russia, Kazakhstan and Namibia. The Russian government alone accounts for as much as a third of U.S. supply.
Many analysts worry that U.S. reliance on the Russian government for such a large share of our uranium supply could place the U.S. in a precarious situation should the Russians decide to cut off exports. In January 2009, angered over a pricing dispute with the Ukrainian government, Russia suddenly cut off natural gas exports to Eastern Europe for more than a month, leaving millions of homes and businesses without heat or electricity.
AIPG President Mike Lawless also expressed confidence that Virginia Uranium, the company seeking to mine and mill the Coles Hill deposit, would develop Coles Hill in an environmentally responsible manner. “Environmental stewardship including protection of air and water quality, as well as site restoration following mining, is an important aspect of successful resource development,” said Lawless in a statement. “Virginia Uranium’s commitment to conservation and historic preservation, as well as the fact that the company is a member of the local community, indicate that the development will occur to the benefit not only of Southside Virginia, but also the entire Commonwealth.”
The National Academy of Sciences is currently conducting an 18-month independent study of the potential environmental and public health impacts, with a report due to the General Assembly and Virginia Coal & Energy Commission in December 2011. State lawmakers will assess the NAS findings as they consider whether to lift the moratorium and allow state agencies to develop necessary permits and regulations for the industry.
Last year, the Virginia Chapter of the Health Physics Society, an organization representing thousands of radiation protection specialists in the state, announced its support for allowing uranium mining in Virginia. “The proposed mining endeavors can be carried out with minimal impact on the environmental quality of the surrounding areas while simultaneously stimulating the economy of Southside Virginia, filling a vacancy in our country’s energy needs, and reducing the United States’ dependence on foreign sources of energy,” wrote Carter Ficklen, President of the Virginia Health Physics Society.
