Scientific uranium study kicks off

WASHINGTON — The first meeting of the provisional committee conducting a scientific study of uranium mining in Virginia kicked off Tuesday.

The Uranium Mining Subcommittee of the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission asked the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the study to offer independent scientific advice so state leaders could determine whether uranium mining could be done safely and responsibly in Virginia.

Delegate R. Lee Ware, Jr., chair of the subcommittee, emphasized to the provisional committee members the scientific study is a statewide study.

“Obviously, any decision we make will have consequences across the commonwealth regarding uranium mining,” Ware said.

The study is due to be completed by December 2011.

Although Virginia has had a moratorium on uranium mining since 1982, Virginia Uranium Inc. proposes to mine and mill a 119-million-pound uranium ore deposit in Pittsylvania County.

Tuesday’s meeting helped provisional committee members gather more information to do the study. The committee has not been finalized yet, said Jennifer Walsh, NAS spokeswoman.

Ware and Michael Karmis, director of the Virginia Tech’s Center for Coal and Energy Research — the study sponsor — addressed eight provisional study committee experts. One member, Joaquin Ruiz, phoned into the meeting.

Four of the 13 provisional committee members — Jill Lipoti, Corby Anderson, Michel Cuney and Patricia Buffler — were absent.

Karmis reviewed the study scope or committee’s “statement of task,” which includes scientific, technical, environmental, human health and safety aspects.

The statement of task also includes a review of Virginia’s uranium resources and exploration statuses, Karmis said.

This helps the experts in studying their geologic, environmental and climatic aspects. It could also help Virginia identify resource opportunities, Ware said.

Ware said public concerns and comments had been integrated into the scope of the study.

Ware told the experts the public expressed a lot of concern about Virginia’s “unique hydrology,” the potential for dispersion of tailings and the long-term management of the site and tailings.

“We have made a tremendous effort to reach out to the public and will continue to do so,” Ware said.

The public will be able to participate in town hall meetings regarding the scientific study in Danville in December and in Richmond in February.

Several Pittsylvania County residents opposed to uranium mining in Virginia came to the meeting.

Phillip Lovelace, a Pittsylvania County farmer who raises cattle for beef, emphasized the need to pay special attention to hydrology. He doesn’t want to see Virginia’s waters damaged.

“We face devastation in this community if it gets in their drinking water,” Lovelace told the committee.

He doesn’t think regulations go far enough to protect the public or environment.

“There’s a lot of ‘if’s’ in this yet,” he said.

Olga Kolotushkina, representing the Roanoke River Basin Association, noted the implications the study would have for the state and asked committee members to take the study seriously and examine any perceived conflicts of interest.

“It’s not just about Southside. It’s not just about Coles Hill,” she said

Cale Jaffe, senior attorney with Southern Environmental Law Center, was glad to see the committee would examine “severe weather effects,” as noted in the statement of task.

He would like to know more about disaster preparedness and ways to secure the site during an event like a hurricane and consequences of failing to do so.

Jaffe said the BP oil spill in the Gulf showed people that things don’t always go according to industry plans.

Patrick Wales, VUI project manager, is confident facilities could be engineered to keep the site secure and that regulations ensure the protection of human health and the environment.

He liked how David Geiser with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Legacy Management showed how sites could be reclaimed with vegetation and for other uses like wildlife habitat, hay production or renewable energy.

Legacy Management is responsible for surveillance and maintenance of former uranium mill sites.

Wales and VUI leaders also believe NAS achieved a credible, balanced committee.

“This is a project that is going to have a tremendous amount of focus on it,” Wales said.

The meeting continues Wednesday.