( By Carrington Dillon ) [Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes]
Last night I was invited to join the Virginia Energy Independence Alliance’s fan page on Facebook. After checking out their notes page, I had to write about this article that I found in there. Robert Bodnar, Professor of Geochemistry, from the greatest University in the United States–Virginia Tech, was recently quoted as saying that the Coles Hill Uranium deposit located in Southwest Virginia presents a “golden opportunity for the state, and specifically Southside Virginia.” Professor Bodnar is currently researching the site. As you can see from his research, he is interested in Geochemistry and fluid flow through geological deposits. Personally, I feel that his expertise is a great match for some of the concerns raised by environmental groups in Virginia and elsewhere about the mining opportunity there. Here is a link to the article and the excerpt from the VEIA’s Facebook news blog:
“The largest untapped uranium deposit in the U.S. found in Pittsylvania County represents a “golden opportunity for the state, and specifically Southside Virginia, to serve as the main source of [nuclear] fuel domestically and worldwide,” according to Virginia Tech professor Robert Bodnar. Professor Bodnar’s remarks appeared in an article about the uranium deposit, known as Coles Hill, in July’s Virginia Business.
Garry Kranz extolls the economic benefits the development of the deposit would bring for the ailing economy of Southside Virginia. Mining and milling the deposit would create as many as 500 new jobs with average salaries of $68,000, generate millions in annual local tax revenues and stimulate related local industries.
“Contained beneath Pittsylvania County’s loamy soil, a mere whisper from the burgs of Gretna and Chatham, lies the largest undeveloped uranium deposit known in the U.S. Estimated at nearly 120 million tons of ore, its economic impact on Virginia would be profound — were it ever to be mined.”
The Coles Hill deposit contains an estimated 120 million pounds of uranium ore, enough to fuel Virginia’s exisiting nuclear power demand for 65 years. Nuclear power currently generates almost 40% of Virginia’s electricity supply. While a 25-year-old moratorium on uranium mining and milling is preventing the development of this massive resource, the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission has tasked the National Academy of Sciences to conduct an 18-month, $1.2 million study that will make recommendations to the General Assembly as it considers whether to lift the moratorium. The National Academy of Sciences study is set to commence soon and will examine the human health and safety, environmental and socio-economic impacts of uranium mining in Virginia.”
“Coles Hill Uranium deposit located in Southwest Virginia presents a “golden opportunity for the state, ”
Coles Hill is not in Southwest Virginia. Southwest Virginia is a good 3 hour drive from Coles Hill.
Lets get the facts straight.
Coles Hill is surrounded with 1400 farms nearby . How will this effect our food and water supply? 4 major rivers that flow through the area provide drinking water all the way to Virginia Beach and the Carolina Coast. 1 breach and that becomes a matter of national security.
If the military moves from our coast because of possible contamination to our troops, how many jobs are lost there and how many tax dollars? That becomes a matter of national security.
Are you ok with eating the food and drinking the milk from this area or do you want it shipped in from foreign countries that do not have the clean water, air and soil that we have? A matter of National Security again.
500 jobs? How many jobs are going to relocate because of the stigma of being in close proximity to an open pit uranium mine and milling facility and the potential health problems that presents?
We have too much to lose and this will be the beginning of uranium mining throughout our commonweath.
All this to make a few well connected people mega rich at the expense of the true taxpayers that live and work here.
Hi,
Thanks for reading and commenting on our website.
According to Virginia.gov, Pittsylvania County, VA (including Gretna, VA) is in Southwest Virginia. http://www.vda.virginia.gov/images/SouthwestVA.gif
So that seems like a pretty petty and pointless argument. Life is too short to get so fired up about such things.
Also, it is probably better for everyone to not jump to such pessimistic conclusions before this feasibility and impact study review even gets off the ground in Virginia. We are all looking forward to hearing what conclusion the study comes to.
Additionally, I doubt that our Federal Government is going to up-and-relocate the largest military base in the World from Norfolk and Newport News because of a uranium mine 300 miles away.
If you check out our recent column “Addressing Concerns on Uranium Mining,” you will find some good information. Including a reference to a study done by the NRC that concluded that someone living beside a cluster of uranium mining and milling operation will receive a total of 41 mrem of effective radiation dose over 15 years. That is the same as a dental x-ray (40 mrem).
The nearest reservior serving Eastern Virginia is 100 miles away from the Coles Hill deposit.
It seems that if uranium mining begins in the Commonwealth, many more than 500 jobs will be created. 500 jobs will do a lot to help the economy in Pittsylvania County and Danville city. The revenue gained from having these jobs in the area will help out tremendously with small business creation. Perhaps the Target near the Danville Piedmont Mall will be able to re-open its doors once again.
You are entitled to feel the way that you do about the situation at Coles Hill. But please allow the State Commissioned Study to be completed before jumping to such doomsday conclusions.
Keep reading our blog. No matter what the conclusion of the study, it will be posted on our website. I promise you that.
Regards,
Carrington Dillon
As a current resident of Axton, Virginia, a small farming community located just next door to Pittsylvania County, I am all in favor of allowing uranium mining to commence as soon as possible at the Coles Hill Uranium deposit. With 40 percent of Virginia’s electricity needs already being met by nuclear power, I find it unusual that as innovative, industrious, and intelligent as Virginia’s residents traditionally are (the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are two major contributions to American life that were contributions of Virginians) that we manage to prevent ourselves from producing any of the raw materials required to create 40 percent of our electrical needs. The ignorance behind the moratorium on uranium mining is beyond stupidity, even for politicians. Certainly those responsible for creating and perpetuating this ban on uranium mining understand that the nuclear plants located in Virginia still consume uranium and that it must come from somewhere. If uranium mining is so dangerous, then why don’t we ever hear news stories about the health hazards and dangers of it from places where it is actually mined? The simple fact is that we don’t hear stories about the dangers of uranium mining because there aren’t any. It isn’t dangerous. Additionally, if uranium was as dangerous as opponents to mining make it out to be, then the first thing I would want is to get it mined out of the ground and taken away from next to my home. People seem to overlook that the uranium is still radioactive even while it is just sitting in the ground. I find it hard to believe that any educated and intelligent Virginian can continue to oppose uranium mining, especially given that 40 percent of our electrical needs are met by uranium.
Please see the article below for more information on the harzards and regulation of uranium mining.
http://www.cleanenergyinsight.org/energy-insights/addressing-concerns-on-uranium-mining/