Halifax IDA: Don't lift ban yet

By: The Editorial Board | GoDanRiver
Published: January 16, 2012

To the editor:

During the upcoming 2012 legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly may be asked to remove the existing moratorium on the mining and milling of uranium.

We feel, as the economic development arm of Halifax County, that this is a bad and potentially dangerous idea. We have adopted a resolution, which is consistent with those passed by Virginia Beach, the Virginia Municipal League, Halifax County, the towns of South Boson and Halifax and other governmental and leadership groups representing the Southern and Tidewater regions of Virginia. We ask that the General Assembly support not lifting the uranium mining and milling moratorium until all applicable impact studies have been completed and thoroughly evaluated and vetted by the legislature and other appropriate stakeholders.

The perception of uranium mining is definitely viewed as an impediment to the business climate and private sector expansion. We feel that it will stagnate our growth and cause many individuals and businesses to leave the area. Being in a rural area, it is challenging to recruit and retain professional-level employees like engineers, scientists and doctors to and for local plants, industry and medical facilities. The prospect of mining of uranium here, or in perhaps other Virginia locations, would destroy opportunities to recruit and successfully compete for new industry and a highly trained and marketable workforce. The jobs created with uranium mining will be far overshadowed by the loss of thousands of jobs across the entire Roanoke River basin region.

Now is not the time for a rush to judgment when the negative impacts can be so devastating and long-lasting.

JOHN R. CANNON

Chairman

Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County