Danville City Council passes on uranium resolution

Danville City Council discussed the possibility of enacting a resolution prohibiting uranium mining or milling at the Berry Hill Road mega park at a work session Tuesday night, and decided to hold off on taking any action.

Deborah Dix, the Pittsylvania County resident who has been campaigning for such a resolution from the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, the Danville Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority and City Council, addressed council members during the public comment period at the beginning of the regular meeting.

“Uranium mining and milling is not a fit for Virginia,” Dix said, exhorting them to do their part to make the region safe for future generations.

Dix said uranium mining and milling could affect the health of residents, contaminate the water supply and prevent businesses from moving to the region. She also pointed out that taxpayer money is paying for the park, and taxpayers’ voices should be heard on this issue.

During the work session, council members agreed the mega park is being designed to house large manufacturing industries, not mining operations. They questioned whether a resolution was needed to ban something that was not in the plans anyway.

Tomer said while he agrees with Dix’s statement that taxpayer dollars are building the park, creating a resolution against something that is not currently legal anyway is “probably jumping the gun.”

“Our intent all along is to develop a quality technology park,” Councilman Fred Shanks said. “The ordinance is well written, but not necessary.”

Tomer noted a resolution would not be binding to future City Councils that could reverse the resolution with another resolution.

As other City Council members voiced their opinion that the resolution was unnecessary, Mayor Sherman Saunders said it appeared a majority was not interested in advancing the proposed resolution, and the issue will not be brought before a regular City Council meeting for a formal vote.

After the work session, Dix said she was disappointed in the outcome, which matched the decisions of both the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors and RIFA, which also declined passing a resolution banning uranium mining at the mega park.

“Taypayers should have a say,” Dix said. “(City Council and the Board of Supervisors) should take care of their citizens. We feel like we don’t have a voice.”

Patrick Wales, project manager for Virginia Uranium, also attended the work session.

“We have nothing to do with the mega park,” Wales said. “I’m just an observer, listening to the debate tonight.”