Va. Mining Committee Discusses Safe Uranium Mining

Gotta love VUI's creativity. Mining opponents are now the "mob-ocracy" courtesy of VUI's Mick Mastilovic. Cute, Mick!

By Ray Reed

Published: March 24, 2009

RICHMOND — A state panel studying uranium mining agreed on a framework Tuesday for a scientific study of whether uranium can be mined safely in Virginia.

Three members of the Uranium Mining Subcommittee argued, however, that a recommendation to include the mineral’s price as part of the study should wait until after scientists determine whether uranium can be removed safely from the ground.

About two dozen residents of Pittsylvania County also voiced their opposition to digging up a deposit in the county.

Deborah Lovelace told the committee, which includes nine members of the General Assembly, that she had “some very disturbing information” about changes in wells at homes near the site outside of Chatham where ore samples were drilled last year.

Tests of the wells, which were paid for by Virginia Uranium Inc., produced several results showing levels of metals and minerals, including lead, in the water had increased after the drilling, Lovelace said.

About 80 wells were tested. Lovelace mentioned results from 18 of them.

Patrick Wales, a spokesman for Virginia Uranium, said the company’s drilling for core samples didn’t cause the effects reported in the wells.

“We have reviewed the data and can state categorically that our permitted drilling activities have nothing to do with these lead levels,” Wales said.

“Wells with reported lead levels in the water are all in geologically and hydrologically isolated areas that are unaffected by activities conducted by our company,” Wales said.

Lead in water can come from many sources, including household plumbing, he said.

Allen Gross, who lives about a mile from the uranium site on Walter Coles’ farm, said the levels of 17 metals increased in his well, and the amount of lead rose above federal safety levels. Gross said he wondered why that happened.

“We’re not saying Mr. Coles did this,” Lovelace said, but she said a cause should be found.

Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Supervisors, told the commission the county needs new jobs that a mine would bring. He also said, “I want to commend the people of Pittsylvania County on their mannerisms today.”

The atmosphere in the Richmond room was quiet. Harville said a meeting of the subcommittee in Chatham on Jan. 6 had a more outspoken atmosphere, as people talked about polluting streams and air and damaging the region’s farms and other assets.

Mick Mastilovic, a vice president of Virginia Uranium, urged the committee to let science, not emotions, direct the study.

“Mob-ocracy was raised in Chatham” during the Jan. 6 meeting, Mastilovic said.

Members of the subcommittee debated how the study should proceed, and said the framework they adopted can be altered.

The study’s framework was presented by Michael Karmis, a professor of mining engineering at Virginia Tech.

“The whole idea is to go the the experts” in the field of uranium mining, Karmis said.

Those experts can be found by contacting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Karmis said. The NRC can recommend impartial scientists to evaluate the Coles Farm deposit, whether it can be mined safely and how, Karmis said.

If those answers were to indicate safe mining is feasible, a second study by another group should be done to evaluate the socio-economic impacts mining on Pittsylvania County’s quality of life, jobs and property values, Karmis said.

The next step in the process involves Karmis contacting the NRC to set up talks with scientists about how the study should proceed.

Del. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan and chairman of the subcommittee, said it has the authority to proceed with having the scientists do the actual study.

The scientists would be members of the National Academy of Sciences, Karmis said.

The committee’s own debate focused mostly on Karmis’ assertion that uranium’s price should be included in the study. He said mining won’t occur unless the mineral’s value exceeds the cost of mining.

Del. Watkins Abbitt, I-Appomattox, objected immediately, saying “I thought our first charge was to find out whether it can be mined safely.” Prices should be discussed afterward, he said, suggesting that the prospect of profits could override safety.

Del. William Janis, R-Richmond, also argued against making price a key part of the study. “We’re wasting our time looking at other things if we find it can’t be mined safely,” he argued.

State Sen. Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, said the study should look at all mining factors, including economic viability.

“I’m not looking to slide safety the least bit in terms of price,” said Wagner, who led a study two years ago that helped place uranium high among priorities in Virginia’s energy policy.

Both Wagner and Janis were Navy officers who served on nuclear submarines.

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