Many Oppose Uranium Jobs [Should Read: Many Don't Believe There Will Ever Be 300-500 Jobs at Coles Hill; Question Safety of Any/All ]

Note: I would have those believing that there will be tons of good-paying jobs should VUI actually mine Coles Hill to ask themselves this question: How many coal miners have you ever seen or heard of that have the standard of living you aspire to?

Mining owners and officials might quite comfortable, but the miners struggle financially every day. Visit the coal-mining areas of Virginia...see how many miners you find that have mining jobs which started at $65-70K annually (adjusted for inflation, of course). Ask how many are making that kind of money now and how many years they've had to work to get to this salary.

Pittsylvania Co., VA -

It's led to a lot of heated debate in Pittsylvania County. Should a company be allowed to mine uranium there? There are millions of pounds of the stuff - worth billions of dollars. But folks are worried about the side effects. Virginia Uranium Incorporated is pumping the economic benefits, in the form of 300 to 500 jobs, with starting salaries of $65,000 to $70,000.

With having a job almost a luxury these days, news of hundreds of possible openings is eye opening.

Pamela Watkins - "I would say... give me one!"

Sandra Barnes - "I would be saying hooray! You know, a lot of our problem here is we're really suffering because we have no jobs left."

That many jobs at that salary, sounds pretty good right now. A stop at the Community Services building, will put the economic squeeze into perspective fast.

Jay Browns, Pittsylvania Co. Community Services - "Lines out the doors. A lot of times, we open at 8:30 each day, and a lot of times when we get here, the parking lot is full and there is a line waiting to get in to apply for benefits."

But that enthusiasm is terrifying to people like Eloise Nenon. She's spent hours fighting the mining industry.

Eloise Nenon, Against Mining - "In areas where they have uranium mining you have horrendous birth defects, you have rampant lung cancer, and many other physical problems."

Health doesn't seem to concern the people we spoke with. They say they believe in the dangers. Right now, they're just worried about putting food on the table.

Sarah - "Is that putting your health at a price?" Barnes - "Breathing puts your health at a price right now, so it's we've got to decide what's more important."

For Nenon, and others opposed to mining, that's a frightening realization.

Barbara Hancock, Against Mining - "As a nurse, I feel any amount of money wouldn't be worth living in those conditions."

And a decision fueled by what opponents say, are false promises.

Nenon - "Why would they hire local people when there are experienced miners? And there are a lot of those not that far away!"

The representative we spoke with from Virginia Uranium told us the company would absolutely hire locally, and train those people extensively. Still, those opposed say they'll believe it when they see it and hope they never do.

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0209/593368.html