Former Nuclear Inspector Says Uranium Not Harmful--Huh??

Below this post are two powerful letters from Pittsylvania Countians against the proposed uranium mine at Coles Hill as published in today's Chatham Star-Tribune. They were written in response to this letter from Melvin R. "Doc" Shelton which appeared in the February 11, 2009 edition of the Star-Tribune:

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:47 AM EST

Genesis Chapter 1 and verse 1: in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

If you will read on, you will find that all things were created by Him and it was created for the benefit of mankind and for God's glory.

He put water above the earth, on the earth and under the earth.

He put oil in the earth, but mankind didn't discover it until the time for it came that it was needed.

The same was for uranium.

Watt Abbitt and Fred Ingram both worked with me at Babcock and Wilcox at Lynchburg back in the 1960s.

Because of political concerns, it appears that they oppose mining uranium in Pittsylvania County.

About everywhere you look you can see signs opposing mining uranium.

People apparently don't know what uranium is.

I understand that the percentage of uranium on the Walter Coles' plantation is only 4 percent.

If the mining is allowed, it cannot be harmful to people nor animals.

The underground water nor the water running in the streams has never harmed humans and animals thus far so how can taking the uranium out of the ground and taking it away be harmful.

I was an inspector for Babcock and Wilcox starting in 1959 until I retired in 1992. I handled uranium to inspect it.

I was only required to wear nylon gloves to keep the oil from my hands from getting on the fillers.

I know that Watt and Freddy know that mining the uranium cannot be harmful.

The only thing that I see is that people are jealous of Mr. Coles and others owning the property.

Melvin R. (Doc) Shelton Sr.

Gretna

http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2009/02/11/chatham/opinion/opinion02.txt