By John Crane
Published: February 17, 2009
CHATHAM — Pittsylvania County Administrator Dan Sleeper and Chatham-Blairs Supervisor Hank Davis each had a resolution on uranium mining on the table Tuesday night for the Board of Supervisors to choose.
The board picked Davis’ more strongly worded and comprehensive resolution in a unanimous vote.
Davis’ resolution requests that a study finds no harm to the county, “its businesses, institutions, environment, and citizens by uranium, as opposed to a cost/benefit approach to this issue or simply accepting minimal damages.”
Sleeper’s version thanks the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission’s Uranium Subcommittee for holding a public hearing at Chatham High School and reiterates the county’s 2007 resolution calling for an independent study.
It also states the county’s “highest concern that the safety and welfare of the people and property in Pittsylvania County remain unharmed and undamaged by uranium mining.”
Davis said he wanted a resolution that addressed more than just safety concerns, but how the county will be perceived if uranium mining is approved.
Supervisors rejected, by a 4-3 vote, a substitute motion by Dan River Supervisor James Snead to combine the two resolutions.
A uranium mining opponent, Karen Maute, asked supervisors to consider banning uranium mining in the county, and requested they explore updating and enforcing the county’s minerals tax.
Virginia Uranium Inc. hopes to mine and mill a uranium ore deposit six miles northeast of Chatham.
The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission has approved a study on uranium mining.
• Contact John R. Crane at jcrane@registerbee.com
http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/county_takes_mining_stance/9136/
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