Subject: FARMERS AND CITIZEN GROUPS URGE NAS URANIUM PANEL TO OUTLINE IMPACTS ON VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE

Subject: FARMERS AND CITIZEN GROUPS URGE NAS URANIUM PANEL TO OUTLINE IMPACTS ON VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2011

Contact: Phillip Lovelace, 434-841-3845
Andrew Lester, Roanoke River Basin Association, 434-250-1185


FARMERS AND CITIZEN GROUPS URGE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES URANIUM PANEL TO OUTLINE IMPACTS ON VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE

Pittsylvania County, VA - dozens of farmers from six (6) Virginia counties and five (5) citizen groups submitted joint comments to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panel preparing a report on various aspects of uranium mining and milling, and storage of uranium mill tailings waste as they pertain to Virginia. The NAS report will assist the Virginia General Assembly to decide the fate of the 30-year uranium mining ban on uranium mining currently in effect in the Commonwealth. The NAS panel will not make any specific recommendations on whether uranium mining should be permitted in the Commonwealth.

In their joint comments, farmers and citizen groups urge the NAS uranium panel to include in its final report the information on exposure pathways for radioactive and heavy metal contaminants from uranium mining and milling operations finding their way into the food chain.

Running an all natural farm, concerned as are my customers about the environmental pollutant effects on our food. The whole reason we are in business is because we provide healthy natural products. We will surely lose our customers if uranium mining comes into town,” said Jacques Fuhrmann, the owner of Our Fathers Farm in Gretna, VA.

According to Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry by far, with nothing else being a close second. The industry has an economic impact of $55 billion annually and provides more than 357,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. Every job in agriculture and forestry supports 1.5 jobs elsewhere in the Virginia economy.

The 50-mile radius around the Coles Hill site encompasses 16 Virginia counties with 10,880 farms that, according to the US Department of Agriculture, generated over $712 million in gross revenues in 2007.

The farmers and groups expressed a concern that the growing fear of radiation exposure prompted by Japan’s nuclear disaster will carry over to the public’s perception regarding the safety and quality of Virginia’s agricultural products coming from the areas affected by uranium mining and milling. “As a career farmer, I know public attitude about the quality, the freshness and the wholesomeness of my farm products are important factors. Issues like uranium mining and milling, their perceived risks to the food chain, and inevitable concerns over the safety of fresh farm products directly affects the demand for my product,” said Wayne Kirkpatrick, a farmer from Patrick County.

The comments to the NAS panel state that because the agricultural industry is often influenced as much by the public’s perception of safety risks as the reality of the actual chance of a risk to health, detection of even miniscule amounts of contamination can negatively affect the marketability of all Virginia’s farm products for years. The farmers want Virginia legislators, who will be relying on the NAS report, to be fully informed of the risks associated with possible contamination of the food chain as a result of uranium mining and milling.

I am very fearful that the future of Halifax County's agriculture viability would be severely compromised with uranium mining in a contiguous county. I think, and the data show that the future of sustainable food production is in regional farming. Halifax County is one of the largest open land masses within 250 miles of the coastline on the entire Eastern seaboard.

 It will play an integral role 10, 20, 30 years from now in supplying the mid Atlantic and Southeast regions with food. Uranium mining could have a devastating effect not just on the future of Halifax County, but a much larger demographic area's ability to feed itself,” said Bill Abbott, the owner of Abbotts Farms Supplies from Halifax County.

Additional Information
FARMERS:

Jacques Fuhrmann
Gretna, VA

William R. Witcher
Chatham, VA

Silas W. Shelton Jr.
Gretna, VA

J. Carl Parsons-
Chatham, VA

George Stanhope
Chatham, VA

Byron D. Motley
Chatham, VA

 Louis Sink
Chatham, VA

Phillip M. Lovelace
Gretna, VA

James C. Wilson
Gretna, VA

Fred Tucker
Gretna, VA

Frances Tucker
Gretna, VA

Phillip Barksdale
Gretna, VA

Willie C Wilson
Gretna, VA

Chad Scruggs
Java, VA

Conrad Holt
Java, VA

Garry Mason
Java, VA

Jerry Shedd
Java, VA

Rodney Shelton
Java, VA

Carroll Riddle
Chatham, VA

Cory H. Moore
Chatham, VA

McKinley Dalton
Gretna, VA

Allen W. Moore
Chatham, VA

Melvin Owen
Blairs, VA

Wayne Kirkpatrick
Stuart, VA

D.L. Fleischman
The Plains, VA

Robert W. Schenkel
Hurt, VA

Tom and Wren Olivier
Albemarle County, VA

W. A Abbott
Halifax, VA

Darnell Abbott,
Halifax, VA

Randy K. Wade
Clover, VA

Brandi Abbott
Halifax, VA

Brandy Hudson
Halifax, VA

Ned Strange
Alton, VA

Laura C. Larlum
Alton, VA

Sarah Epps
Halifax, VA

Robbin Martinelli
Sandy Level, VA

Bill Speiden
Orange County, VA

Jay Pratley
Sandy Level, VA

GROUPS:

League of Individuals for the Environment, Inc. is a section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, whose mission is to promote environmentally aware and sustainable communities in Pittsylvania County and throughout Virginia, and to work cooperatively with individuals, organizations, agencies and community groups to promote environmental education through community awareness, education and public policy. Contact: Deborah Lovelace, President, League of Individuals for the Environment, Inc., P.O. Box 622, Gretna, VA 24557

Roanoke River Basin Association’s mission is to promote development, use, preservation and enhancement of the resources of the Basin in the best interests of present and future generations of Basin residents. RRBA believes that basin resource conservation can co-exist with managed economic growth. Contact: Andrew Lester, Executive Director, Roanoke River Basin Association, P.O. Box 10548, Danville, VA 24543. Website: www.rrba.org

We the People (formerly Southside Concerned Citizens) has been in existence since the mid 1980's. It previously worked to protect southern Virginia from corporate hog farming and nuclear waste disposal. The organization was pivotal in the development of state of the art pollution controls for the local ODEC plant in Halifax County. The organization was the primary opposing group to uranium mining in Southside Virginia in 1984 when mining was first proposed. Contact: Jack Dunavant, Chairman, We the People, Inc., P.O. Box 1569, Halifax, VA 24558

Dan River Basin Association works to protect and promote the natural and cultural resources of the Dan River Basin through recreation, education and stewardship. The Association also promotes regional nature and heritage tourism to foster sustainable economic development. Contact: Tiffany Haworth, Executive Director, Dan River Basin Association, 413 Church Street, Suite 401, Eden, NC 27288-3243. Website: www.danriver.org

Piedmont Residents in Defense of the Environment is a non-profit, tax deductible organization promoting earth stewardship and open government. Contact: Karen B. Maute, President. P.O. Box 11521, Danville, VA 24543-1521, http://prideva.blogspot.com

Coles Hill residents wants water tested - Supervisors Meeting Tuesday, 7 PM

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 02:47 AM PDT
By GoDanRiver Staff
Published: June 20, 2011

A proposal asking the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to request that Virginia Uranium Inc. test well water at Coles Hill.
Staunton River Supervisor Marshall Ecker has asked that the board consider the request from citizens in the Coles Hill area, where VUI hopes to mine and mill a 119-million-pound uranium ore deposit.

The test would set up a standard before further drilling in the area.

Read more:
http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jun/20/coles-hill-residents-want-water-tested-ar-1121883/

Global Radiation Exposures and Consequences

Epidemiologist, Dr. Steven Wing, Discusses Global Radiation Exposures and Consequences with Gundersen from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

Epidemiologist, Dr. Steven Wing and nuclear engineer, Arnie Gundersen, discuss the consequences of the Fukushima radioactive fallout on Japan, the USA, and the world. What are the long-term health effects? What should the government(s) do to protect citizens?


Read more:

http://www.fairewinds.com/node/151




.

What happens if a tornado strikes a uranium mine?

Alta LeCompte
SoVaNow.com / May 02, 2011

Two high-profile potential threats to Kerr Reservoir — contamination from proposed uranium mining and water wars with urban areas eyeing the resource from a distance — lay dormant and unacknowledged throughout most of the second Clarksville Lake Interest Committee symposium on lake issues.

As the symposium Thursday drew to a close, representatives a watershed advocacy group brought the hot-button issues tothe fore, energizing an audience that had listened all day at the Clarksville Community Center to talks by state officials and university experts.

Commenting on the prospect of uranium mining in Pittsylvania County, Roanoke River Basin Association executive director Andrew Lester, said: “Everybody who lives south and east of the proposed site has everything to lose and nothing to gain.”

“You’re not talking about PCBs and mercury anymore,” said RRBA vice president Gene Addesso. “You’re talking about radioactive material. If a tornado comes through and rips everything up, it’s going to come right into the rivers.”

Andy Lester, the executive director of RRBA, noted that a tornado touched down in Pittsylvania last week. In addition, the proposed mine site sits on a seismic fault, vulnerable to earthquakes that could dislodge radioactive mine waste.

Rainfall in Virginia is different than in any place where uranium mining has been attempted in the past, with violent storms threatening to release the waste, he said.

Lester urged the audience to get involved and issued an invitation to the June 11 RRBA meeting.

He said the National Wildlife Federation last week passed a resolution opposing an end to Virginia’s moratorium on uranium mining, which could happen when the legislature convenes in January.

Other environmental groups are mobilizing, and local governments are going on record opposing mining.

Read more:
http://www.sovanow.com/index.php?/news/article/symposium_speakers_what_happens_if_a_tornado_strikes_a_uranium_mine/

EPA Offers Energy Tips on Summer Cooling to Help Save Money, Reduce Pollution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2011


WASHINGTON – With summer around the corner, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program today issued its annual list of ideas to help the public cut cooling costs, protect their health and stay comfortable at home.

The average home spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. Increased energy production to run cooling systems not only raises costs, it also can contribute to pollution that adversely affects the quality of the air we breathe. Here are seven simple things that can be done to help protect your wallet and the environment:

-Change to More Efficient Light Bulbs. Change out incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient lighting choices. Energy Star qualified lighting not only uses less energy, but also produces approximately 75 percent less heat than incandescent lighting, so cooling bills will be reduced, too.

Find the Best Thermostat Settings. If you have a programmable thermostat, program it to work around your family’s summer schedule—set it a few degrees higher (such as 78 degrees) when no one is home, so your cooling system isn’t cooling an empty house.

Use Ceiling Fans Optimally. Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room make sure to turn off the fan.

Maximize Shade. Pull the curtains and shades closed before you leave your home to keep the sun’s rays from overheating the interior of your home. If you can, move container trees and plants in front of sun-exposed windows to serve as shade.

Reduce Oven Time. Use a microwave instead of an oven to cook, when you can. Ovens take longer to cook food and can make your house warmer, requiring your AC system to turn on to keep the house at a comfortable temperature.

Check Air Conditioner Filters. Check your cooling system’s air filter every month. If the filter looks dirty, change it. A good rule is to change the filter at least every three months. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder to keep you cool—wasting energy. Also, remember to have your system serviced annually to ensure it’s running at optimum efficiency for money and energy savings.

Plug Duct System Leaks. As much as 20 percent of the air moving through your home’s duct system is lost due to leaks and poor connections. Seal duct work using mastic sealant or metal tape and insulate all the ducts that you can access (such as those in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages). Also, make sure that connections at vents and registers are well-sealed where they meet floors, walls, and ceilings.

These are common locations to find leaks and disconnected ductwork.

Energy Star was started by EPA in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficient specifications set by the EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved approximately $18 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emission of 33 million vehicles.

More information on ways to cut energy costs this summer: http://www.energystar.gov/cooltips


More information on being more energy-efficient and protecting the environment in your area through “Energy Stars Across America”: http://www.energystar.gov/starsmap

VA 4 Wind: 8 Reasons It’s a Great Idea!

By Eileen
Dec 01, 2009

Virginia has one of the best sites in the world for offshore wind. A shallow outer continental shelf extending many miles out, combined with ample Class 5 (excellent) and 6 (outstanding) wind resources, means we could potentially meet 100% of our total energy demand from offshore wind turbines.

Wind is a clean, renewable resource. Unlike coal, oil, gas and uranium, offshore wind is a clean, renewable energy source, which can help Virginia meet its renewable energy targets. Offshore wind turbines emit no air pollution and don’t foul our rivers; they pose no risk of mercury poisoning; they do not cause asthma or other lung ailments. They require no mountaintop removal coal mining, produce no radioactive waste, do not spill toxic sludge onto our beaches, and do not consume scarce fresh water resources for washing coal or cooling

Read more:
http://vasierraclub.org/2009/12/virginia-offshore-wind/

Uranium issue in Virginia dates to 1970s

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Virginia Uranium Inc. is working to remove Virginia’s moratorium on the mining, milling and processing of uranium ore.

The issue dates back to the late 1970s, when Marline Corp. began searching for uranium deposits in the eastern United States.
That year, Virginia legislators approved a moratorium on the mining of uranium, the milling of yellowcake and the disposal of radioactive waste, according to the website.

The find in Pittsylvania County potentially was worth $1 billion or more at that time, the website stated. Since then, however, the estimate of available ore has climbed. It now is worth about $10 billion and is called “the largest unmined uranium deposit in the nation,” according to www.virginiaplaces.org.

Marline Corp. obtained leases on 40,000 uranium-rich acres in Pittsylvania County and 16,000 acres in Fauquier, Madison, Culpeper and Orange counties, the website stated.

In November 2007, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy approved a permit for exploring 194 acres in Pittsylvania County, called the Coles Hill site. Work there began about a month later, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) website.

The following year, the General Assembly rejected an industry-backed proposal for a study that could have led to a lifting of the moratorium on uranium mining, the SELC’s website states. Instead, a legislative subcommittee is facilitating a study by the National Academy of Sciences. That is one of four studies that are under way, according to the DRBA website.

The SELC’s website lists those studies as:

• The National Academy of Sciences, which is collecting and reviewing existing reports and data on uranium mining and milling to help determine whether uranium mining can be done safely in Virginia. It is scheduled to be done by the end of this year;

• The uranium industry is supporting a study on socio-economic impacts by Chmura Economics & Analytics, a firm with ties to the coal mining industry;

• A study on the potential uranium production at Coles Hill as it relates to water quality is under way by the city of Virginia Beach, which is downstream of the Coles Hill site;

• The Danville Regional Foundation is investing up to $530,000 in a study by RTI International, a research institution.

Earlier this month, Walter Coles Jr., executive vice president of Virginia Uranium, told investors that the political climate in Virginia is “fairly pro-nuclear” and the company has worked to win over legislators who will decide whether the ban should be lifted.

In a webcast with the investors recorded in February, Coles said Virginia Uranium has lined up sponsors of the legislation.

“In January of 2012, we will have a bill in the state legislature that directs the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to develop the regulations for uranium mining,” Coles said during the webcast.

Read more:
http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=27725

Will there be a uranium debate?

By Elizabeth Strother

A year ago, author Andrew Rice wrote a piece in The New Republic about the political battle that still rages in Pittsylvania County over the possibility of mining a rich deposit of uranium discovered in March 1979 on a farm near Chatham.

"Nuclear Standoff" opens with the recollections of geologist Byrd Berman, one of several men sent by a uranium mining company to canvass a network of geological depressions known as the Triassic Basins that run from North Carolina up through Virginia's Piedmont, into eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and on into New England.

While driving through the 750-acre Coles Hill farm, Berman's radiation detecting scintillometer began to beep, its needle to dance, and "Berman was certain he'd hit something huge, fissile, and extraordinarily valuable."

Fast forward to 2011, and the uranium at Coles Hill looks again like a potential jackpot worth billions of dollars.

Walter Coles Sr., owner of Coles Hill, formed Virginia Uranium Inc. with a group of private investors in 2007; in 2009, the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission agreed to a National Academy of Sciences study of the possible impacts of uranium mining in Virginia.

This was the picture when an earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of Japan this month and so damaged four reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that radioactive leaks have grown increasingly alarming and remained out of control last week.

Not the start of a conversation about how to regulate uranium mining, but about whether Virginia should allow uranium mining at all.

The NAS study will not make a recommendation on lifting the moratorium. That will be a political choice made by the General Assembly.

Rice wrote in The New Republic, "'Many of the elected delegates are waiting for the study,' Coles told me, 'to give them cover to take a position on this.' " Hardly a confidence builder that this isn't a done deal.

Yet skeptics do need to look at the NAS study with an open mind. I spoke last week to Robert Bodnar, a geochemistry professor at Virginia Tech who has done research at Coles Hill, funded in part by Virginia Uranium. He is not participating in the NAS study, other than to summarize research results before the study committee.

"Based on my experience working in the mining industry for 30 years," he told me, "I'm convinced Coles Hill can be mined with acceptable risks."

So uranium mining can be done safely now? I asked.

"It can be done with acceptable risks," he reiterated. "'Safely' has different meanings to different people."

There's the crux of the coming debate. If there is one.

Strother is The Roanoke Times interim editorial page editor.
Read more:
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/strother/wb/281980

Go Green and Stay Cool This Summer: 4 Tips to Run Your A/C Efficiently

1. Clear your A/C Unit's Surroundings

One of the easiest ways to make your air conditioning unit operate more efficiently is to ensure it is clear from any excess brush, plants, or garbage that may have accumulated over the winter. If the air flow pathway is kept clear, air has an easier time getting in and the A/C unit doesn't have to work as hard. This rule goes the same if you're using a window unit and have clutter inside your house or apartment. Make some extra space around the air intake and your cooling unit will run much smoother.

2. Keep an eye on your electricity bill

There's nothing worse than running your A/C for the first month of summer without realizing the impact it's going to have on your bill. This year, be proactive and consider how much energy you're using to keep your home cool.

3. Clean your air filters

Keeping the outside of your A/C unit clear is great, but if you don't keep your air filters clean it won't do any good. Not only should you take out your air filters and give them a good cleaning every few weeks, but they should also be completely replaced at least once a season.

4. Raise your thermostat a few degrees

The most common recommendation for saving energy during the peak summer season is raising your thermostat a few degrees, keeping it a bit warmer than may desire. While this is the easiest way to go green while still using A/C, many are hesitant to raise the thermostat.

Read more:
http://www.greenerideal.com/lifestyle/home-and-garden/8898-go-green-and-stay

Waves Rippling Through Groundwater

March 26, 2011 -- 1:46 pm UTC
Updated: April 20, 2011 -- 2:46 pm UTC

Missouri well spikes

Earthquakes affect Earth’s intricate plumbing system. Whether you live near the notoriously active San Andreas Fault in California, or far from active faults in Florida, an earthquake near or far can affect you and the water resources you depend on.

The most recent earthquake in Japan affected water levels in groundwater wells all over the country.

Water level fluctuations were recorded as far away as Illinois, Virginia, Missouri and Florida.

The most common effect on groundwater from earthquakes is an instantaneous water-level increase or decrease. Recovery to the pre-earthquake water level can be so rapid that no change is detected.

These spikes can occur thousands of miles from earthquake epicenters. Most of the time these spikes have no consequences for groundwater supply or quality. In rare cases water wells have become dry or begun flowing. In other cases discharge of springs and groundwater to streams has increased, and new springs have formed. Groundwater quality can also become degraded as a result of earthquakes.

Responses of water levels in wells to earthquakes are influenced by such factors as the magnitude and depth of the earthquake, distance from the epicenter, and the type of rock that surrounds the groundwater. The depth of the well, whether the aquifer is confined or unconfined, and well construction also influence the degree of water-level fluctuations in wells in response to seismic waves. Some aquifers may even act as resonators, which may amplify the response.

The USGS Groundwater Resources program tracks these spikes all over the country through real-time groundwater monitoring.

USGS scientist Dave Nelms has been tracking this phenomenon in a well in Christiansburg, VA. Visit the Christiansburg, VA well website to see which earthquakes have affected this well over time.

You can also learn more about the groundwater spikes caused by earthquakes in a USGS CoreCast interview, below, featuring USGS Research Geophysicist Evelyn Roeloff:

Notable Examples:

The 1998 M5.2 Pymatuning earthquake in northwestern Pennsylvania caused about 120 local household-supply wells to go dry within three months after the earthquake.

The 2002 M7.9 Denali Fault earthquake in Alaska caused a 2-foot water-level rise in a well in Wisconsin, more than a thousand miles from the epicenter.

A minor earthquake that shook Maine Oct. 2 at 8:07 pm caused the water level in a USGS monitoring well to drop more than 2 ½ feet.

The largest offset recorded digitally is a one meter rise caused by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in a well at Parkfield, Calif.

Read more:
http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/2011/03/26/waves-rippling-through-groundwater/

Happy Father's Day

OUR FATHERS

Our fathers toil with hands and heart

To make our lives complete.

They quietly brave the winter cold,

Endure the summer heat.

Our fathers' lives are busy, but

There's always time for us.

They boldly face the ups and downs

And seldom ever fuss.

Our fathers are the greatest dads.

We know you know this, too.

But thank you for the chance to share

Our love for them with you.

N.C. may do its own uranium mine study

By Eva Cassada
SoVaNow.com / April 11, 2011

Two North Carolina State Senators have introduced legislation to study the near- and long-term impacts of Virginia uranium mining on the Tar Heel state.

The bill is put forth by a pair of lawmakers: Doug Berger, a Youngsville attorney, has a district spanning Granville, Vance, Warren and Franklin counties, bordering the Virginia line; the district of Ed Jones, a retired N.C. State Trooper, is to the southeast of here: Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton and Perquimans counties.

Jones could not be reached for comment over the weekend, but Berger said citizens and regional associations had brought to him their concerns over uranium mining in Virginia.

The text of the bill cites the impacts “on North Carolina’s economy, environment and agricultural activities and on the health and well-being of its citizens,” especially the impact on the portion of North Carolina in or near the lower Roanoke River Basin spanning the Virginia/North Carolina border. The study would address efforts by “a Canadian company or any other company to conduct uranium mining in Virginia in the center of the Roanoke River Basin.”

The bill goes to specify that the study, which would be conducted by the Legislative Research Commission, should address “any potential economic burdens” to the Tar Heel tourism industry, other industries, property values and whether Virginia uranium mining would deter prospective industries or development “in North Carolina downstream and downwind.”

It specifies scrutiny of health, drinking water, surface water, groundwater, air quality and “especially the potential impacts of the uranium mill tailings and other radioactive material flooding into the Roanoke River system and polluting Kerr Lake, Lake Gaston and … extending to the Albemarle Sound.”

The interim report would be due in 2012, with a final report due in 2013.

Read more:
http://www.sovanow.com/index.php?/news/article/n.c._may_do_its_own_uranium_mine_study/

Uranium safety doubted

Letter: Tina Smith

Monday, April 11, 2011

Even before the tsunami in Japan, I have been against Virginia Uranium’s bid to open a mine in Virginia. Our area has been economically depressed for years, and I have been laid off for the past nine months from a job that I held for 10 years, but I don’t believe that mining radioactive uranium is a good way to boost the economy.

I also have issue with the way in which Walter Coles, who is the head of Virginia Uranium, has tried to portray himself. He tries to come off as someone who is as concerned with the safety of uranium mining as he is the profit margin that would come from it.

He has stated that his company would only seek to end the moratorium on uranium mining if the National Academy of Science study shows that uranium could be mined safely.

I guess he would say that since the NAS study is being funded by Virginia Uranium. Virginia Tech has funneled $1.4 million from Virginia Uranium to the NAS to cover the study expenses, according to Andrew Lester, executive director of the Roanoke River Basin Association.

Lester wrote: “This arrangement was required under the NAS policy prohibiting acceptance of funding from for-profit entities. Virginia Uranium Inc. is paying Virginia Tech $300,000 for serving as its agent in dealings with the (NAS).”

There is no way on earth you can tell me that the NAS can be an unbiased, third-party investigator of the facts when their salaries are being paid by the company they are working for.

That’s just as crazy as to think that elected representatives who receive campaign funding from lobbyists are not going to vote in favor of their donors. “Since 2007, VUI has spent $267,146 on lobbyists” and “has made $55,150 in campaign contributions to General Assembly members ... according to the Virginia Public Access Project.” (Danville Register and Bee, March 13)

“In fact, last year, the company was the second largest in-kind gift giver to state politicians, ahead of even Dominion Power.” (Danville Register and Bee, April 3)

How many registered lobbyists do we have in Richmond representing the number of people who are against uranium mining? “Virginia Uranium Inc. has 15 working the 140-member Virginia General Assembly.” (Danville Register and Bee, March 13)

Japan still has not gotten ahold of the situation that it now faces. All of the safety regulations, scientific analysis and emergency plans that the Japanese had to prevent and handle a nuclear crisis have not helped to stop the disaster they are now facing. Those same plans created by “experts” will not fix all of the irreparable damage to the environment and its people that will haunt Japan for years.

We need to let Robert Hurt, whose father is an investor with Virginia Uranium, know that we do not need a cesspool in our backyard.

Tina Smith
Henry County, VA

RESOLUTION: SUPPORTING THE MORATORIUM ON URANIUM MINING IN VIRGINIA

RESOLUTION:  SUPPORTING THE MORATORIUM ON URANIUM MINING IN VIRGINIA

Dan River Basin Association

WHEREAS, the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) recognizes that a sustainable environment is important to the citizens, the economy and the need for supply of clean water in the Dan River Basin region in Virginia and North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the DRBA, a 501 c (3) organization, is to preserve and promote the natural and cultural resources of the Dan River Basin through stewardship, recreation and education; and

WHEREAS, there is a proposed uranium mining and milling operation at Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County, VA, which would require lifting the current ban on such operations in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, in response to proposals to mine uranium in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the General Assembly enacted a legislative moratorium on the mining of uranium in Virginia, which remains in effect today; and

WHEREAS, a company known as Virginia Uranium, Inc. has proposed to establish one of the largest uranium mining operations in North America in Pittsylvania County and has stated to its investors, that it will seek legislation to repeal the moratorium in the 2012 session of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, other localities in Virginia, including but not limited to the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Floyd, Madison, Orange and Patrick have all been identified as potential sites for additional uranium mining, thereby extending the potential effects of such mining far beyond Pittsylvania County, and

WHEREAS, the best available scientific information indicates that the social, environmental, health and economic impacts of proposed uranium mining and milling in the Basin outweigh expected benefits to residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, on February 1, 2011, the City of Virginia Beach released the findings of its study of impacts of proposed uranium mining and milling on its water supply and concluded that in the event of a mill tailing confinement cell failure, the tailings will be washed downstream and will significantly impact water quality in Kerr Reservoir and Lake Gaston resulting in radiation levels in the water 10-20 times above the Safe Water Drinking Act levels; and

WHEREAS, because the Basin serves as a drinking water source for over one million people which could face increased risks associated with uranium mining, milling, and storage of radioactive waste; and

WHEREAS, the Dan River Basin Association is convinced that the social and psychological effect of uranium mining will be unquestionably negative, without regard to the assurances in any study of the safety of uranium mining, and will result in business, industry and population deciding to locate in areas other than those in proximity to uranium mining; and

WHEREAS, such decisions by prospective business, industry and residents will diminish, and potentially destroy, the economic development efforts of our entire region, and will sacrifice our economic future, including business recruitment, real estate values and retention of youth in our communities, with all the social stresses and ills attendant upon such economic decline, merely for the sake of the limited number of jobs directly created by uranium mining; and

WHEREAS, such destructive effects upon the efforts to improve the economy of this region will result in additional strain upon the financial resources of local, state and federal governments, through increased expenditures on social services programs, financial assistance, and subsidies, and will render the millions already spent in economic development ineffective; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Dan River Basin Association supports the continuation of the moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia and believes that uranium mining in Southern Virginia would be destructive to its people and economy, and detrimental to the people and economy of Virginia and North Carolina as a whole.

BE IT KNOWN that the Dan River Basin Association Board of Directors present at a meeting held on June 8, 2011 duly adopted this Resolution; and that said Resolution has been duly recorded in the Association minutes and is in full force and effect.
____________________ ____________________ __________________
Wayne Kirkpatrick, T Butler, Mark Bishopric,President Secretary Treasurer

Read more:
http://www.facebook.com/DanRiverBasinAssoc

Algae biofuels could replace 17 percent of imported oil

9:42 p.m. EDT, April 18, 2011

If you turned South Carolina into a giant algae farm, you could make enough biofuel to replace 17 percent of the petroleum the U.S. imports.

That factoid and others come from researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, who are studying algae's potential as a fuel source.

They found that growing algae — like most biofuels — requires a good amount of water. They suggested the best places to grow algae are sunny and humid climates.

They say algae that can produce 80 times more oil than corn per acre a year. And that, unlike corn or soybeans, algae is not important to the diet of most U.S. citizens.

"Algae could be part of the solution to the nation's energy puzzle — if we're smart about where we place growth ponds," Mark Wigmosta, a hydrologist and lead author of the report, said in a statement issued by the lab.

This type of research is occurring in Virginia. For example, Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth universities are turning algae into biofuel.

The College of William and Mary is participating in ChAP, or Chesapeake Algae Project, a $3 million research project funded by StatoilHydro, a Norwegian energy company.

Oil giant Exxon Mobile in 2009 committed last year to spending $600 million to develop algae-based biofuels.

Read more:
http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-environotebook-0419-20110418,0,3814890.story

Threat of Uranium Mining Lands VA's Roanoke River on National Endangered List

CONTACT: Environmental Groups

Peter Raabe, American Rivers, (919) 682-3500,
praabe@americanrivers.org
Andrew Lester, Roanoke River Basin Association, (434) 250-1185,
raincrow2000@hotmail.com
Cale Jaffe, Southern Environmental Law Center, (434) 977-4090,
cjaffe@selcva.org\
Chris Miller, Piedmont Environmental Council, (703) 507-5790,
cmiller@pecva.org


VIRGINIA - May 17 - Lifting a state-wide ban on uranium mining would threaten the Roanoke River and other rivers as well as drinking water supplies in the region with radioactive pollution and toxic chemicals, American Rivers said today. The threat from a proposed uranium mine in the Roanoke basin earned the river a spot on the organization's annual list of America's Most Endangered Rivers(tm). http://selc.southernenvironment.org/site/R?i=c3voZl0rxAA6AWS03p3Jng..

The Roanoke flows from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia to North Carolina's Outer Banks. It provides drinking water to more than one million people in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and other communities. Recently, Raleigh, North Carolina applied to tap 50 million gallons a day from the basin.

The dangers of extracting uranium ore, which requires intensive use of water and chemicals and leaves behind radioactive and contaminated waste, inspired the Virginia state legislature to place a ban on uranium mining in 1982. A uranium mining company is now pushing to lift the ban and develop a deposit on a tributary of the Roanoke in Pittsylvania County. Geologists believe there are other deposits elsewhere in Virginia and the East.

American Rivers says that if the Virginia legislature succumbs to industry pressure and fails to uphold its 30-year ban on uranium mining, the health of rivers and communities in the region will be at risk for centuries to come. American Rivers and its partners called on the Virginia legislature to uphold its ban on uranium mining to protect the Roanoke and rivers statewide.

"This uranium operation would generate millions of tons of toxic, cancer-causing waste," said Peter Raabe of American Rivers. "We're talking about a radioactive legacy that would last for generations."

About America's Most Endangered Rivers

For 26 years, American Rivers has sounded the alarm on 360 rivers through our America's Most Endangered Rivers report. The report is not a list of the "worst" or most polluted rivers, but is a call to action for rivers at a crossroads, whose fates will be determined in the coming year. By shining the spotlight and mobilizing grassroots action, we help save rivers from sewage pollution, new dams, mining, and other threats.

Our staff and scientific advisors review nominations for the following criteria:

* A major decision that the public can help influence in the coming year

* The significance of the river to people and wildlife

* The magnitude of the threat, especially in light of climate change

America's Most Endangered Rivers(tm) is sponsored by Orvis, the oldest mail order company in the US, which has been outfitting customers for the sporting traditions since 1856. Orvis is a long-time supporter of American Rivers. This is the third consecutive year that they have sponsored America's Most Endangered Rivers and have also provided American Rivers with a 2010 Conservation Grant. Orvis donates 5% of their pre-tax profits annually to protect nature.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2011/05/17

Virginia Uranium Mining: Risks Outweigh Benefits

By Colleen Redman

When Deborah Lovelace first learned in 2008 that a small group of investors was planning to mine uranium about five miles from her Pittsylvania County home, she was interested in learning more. Because her grandfather and other family members had worked in coal mines, she thought uranium mining would be an opportunity for more jobs in the area.

Lovelace, a former real-estate agent and wife of a ninth-generation farmer, started doing research on uranium mining. She read information on the internet. She attended meetings and symposiums, including one called “The Health and the Socio-economic Impact of Uranium Mining in Virginia,” hosted by Friends of the Earth in Richmond. She quickly discovered that there was a big difference between coal mining and uranium mining because of the large amounts of radioactive waste that uranium mining creates. With a group of concerned citizens, she traveled to the Coal River Valley in West Virginia; that trip confirmed her worst fears about the mining industry. She learned about poor safety records and the lack of regard for regulations by mining companies. She saw economic depression in the form of closed schools and boarded-up businesses. She saw a creek flowing with contaminated yellowish water

Today, Lovelace heads up the nonprofit League of Individuals for the Environment (LIFE) and gives presentations in an effort to alert the public about a well-funded and politically connected campaign to lift a 29-year-old moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia.

In January, Lovelace and other organizers traveled from Pittsylvania County to Floyd County to meet with citizens there. A group of about 40 Floyd County residents learned that uranium mining in the U.S. has traditionally been limited to dry and lightly populated areas out West. With the price of uranium on the rise [at this writing], however, a Canadian-backed company called Virginia Uranium, Inc., is intent on bringing it to the East, specifically to Pittsylvania County, where a large deposit of uranium has been found. The proposed mining site, Coles Hill, is situated on land owned by Walter Coles, Sr., the president and CEO of Virginia Uranium, Inc.

Lovelace gave a PowerPoint presentation outlining the uses and hazards of uranium and the logistics of mining operations. She explained that uranium is a radioactive metal found in the ground that is primarily used to make nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It’s toxic to humans and the environment.

“It takes 1,000 pounds of ore to produce one pound of uranium, which leaves 999 pounds of mill tailings,” Lovelace explained. “The mill tailings retain 85 percent of their toxic radioactivity for 300,000 years.” She added that exposure to uranium adversely affects the kidney, brain, liver and heart. It also increases the risk of birth defects and is damaging to neurological, genetic and reproductive systems.

A uranium mining operation commonly involves open-pit or underground mining, a pulverizing mill and a chemical plant, Lovelace said. She showed mining photos and displayed a United States Geological Survey map that highlighted potential uranium mining sites throughout rural Virginia and North Carolina and up and down the Blue Ridge.

Do we need uranium for energy? According to Lovelace’s research, the Department of Energy has sold excess uranium to friendly countries. “It’s stockpiled,” she said. “We buy it from Russia to keep it out of the hands of unfriendly countries. Of the 1,100 nuclear reactors in the world, only 430 are used to generate electricity.”

The environmental consequences of uranium mining in Virginia’s wet climate and the risks to groundwater and waterways also were discussed at the meeting. Other frustrations raised included the lack of home insurance coverage for radiation contamination or damage due to mine blasting, the cost to taxpayers for radioactive cleanup and storage, and the concern that if the moratorium is lifted and mining is allowed in Pittsylvania County, it will open the door to uranium mining all over Virginia.

Several studies are underway that need to be completed and reviewed before the General Assembly will make a decision about the mining moratorium. A study funded by Virginia Beach already has determined that heavy rains and flooding near the proposed mining site in Pittsylvania County could flush radioactive waste into Lake Gaston, contaminating the city’s main water source. Another study currently being conducted by a National Academy of Sciences committee is funded by Virginia Uranium, Inc., the company seeking to mine. The Washington Post reported in 2008 that an estimated 110 million pounds of uranium worth almost $10 billion dollars is at stake for mining backers.

In early February, Robert Tohe, a field representative for the Sierra Club in Flagstaff, Arizona, and a member of the Navajo nation, visited Pittsylvania County to address the issue. He spoke to farmers, a pastor, two elected county officials, the local president of the NAACP and about 50 others about the devastation caused by uranium mining in the West, which began in the 1940s.

Tohe reported that the Navajo people and other indigenous communities are still living with the legacy of contamination from past uranium mining, including high rates of cancer. Although many of their communities are without electricity, Tohe said, “The people have sacrificed their lands and lives to uranium mining.” He reminded the audience that in the 1970s, the National Academy of Sciences coined the term “national sacrifice area” for the Four Corners area (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado) of the Southwest.

Tohe considers the hazardous nature of uranium mining to be a human-rights issue that disproportionately affects low-income people. He explained that huge amounts of water are used to mine uranium and that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had to haul water into communities where drinking water is contaminated. Current efforts to use the judicial system to keep new uranium mining out of indigenous communities have been unsuccessful, and Congress has been dragging its feet on reclamation compensation.

“Waste is a huge issue,” Tohe said. “There is toxic waste in every step of the mining process. There’s really no place to hold this kind of waste, so why would you generate more if there is no place to store it? Is it need or greed?”

Tohe added that it’s the world market, primarily Korea and China, that will benefit from uranium mining. He warned of a large Canadian presence in U.S. mining and a web of partnerships that sell to global markets. “Once it gets into foreign-owned hands, we don’t know where it goes from there,” he said.

Tohe spoke of the boom-and-bust market cycles that hold hostage those residents near mines. Some short-term mining jobs can be expected, but water that is contaminated is changed forever. “You can’t pass regulations to address past hurts; it’s too late then,” he said. He advised that people look at the cumulative effects. “If there’s one mine, there will be two and three.”

During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, Bob Martin, a pastor from Pittsylvania County, commented that The National Academy of Science does the studies but doesn’t make recommendations. “That’s up to the politicians and that’s who I’m worried about,” he said. He expressed frustration at those who didn’t go to the polls to support politicians who stand against uranium mining.

Naomi Hodge-Muse, president of the NAACP in Martinsville, suggested that each person in the room commit to speaking to his or her church and 10 other people, telling those 10 people to speak to their churches and 10 more people, and so on. “We are the people of Virginia,” she said. “Nobody has the right to come in and jeopardize our health and well-being. There are more of us than them.”

Mining moratorium supporter Karen Maute summed up the meeting, saying that Tohe’s message was clear. “It’s better to avoid catastrophe than to deal with it after the fact,” she said. “We have the science behind us. There has yet to be a study which claims that uranium mining and milling are without human-health and environmental risks. Here in Virginia, people are finally waking up to the fact that the risks of mining will outweigh any benefits.”

Lovelace remembers her initial hope that uranium mining might bring jobs to the area. Now, knowing what she knows, she thinks differently. “Jobs? What about the jobs lost?” she asks. “Who’s going to want to buy beef from us?”

Read more:
http://www.naswvamag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=432:virginia-uranium-mining&catid=101:features&Itemid=132

Poll shows Virginians are concerned about the environment

By Rex Springston Richmond Times-Dispatch

Published: April 17, 2011

Most people think Virginia's environment is in good shape, but more than a quarter expect it to deteriorate over the next decade, a new poll shows.

In addition, most said they would pay more to clean the Chesapeake Bay and to buy green products.

"Virginians generally feel comfortable about the environment but, having said that, they see room for improvement," said Quentin Kidd, a Christopher Newport University political scientist who designed the poll.

CNU is formally releasing its third annual environmental poll Monday, four days before Earth Day. The Richmond Times-Dispatch worked with CNU to develop some of the poll questions.

Among the findings:

•91 percent of those polled said environmental issues were very or somewhat important to them.

•62 percent said they would pay higher fees, such as sewage bills, to clean the bay; 31 percent opposed higher fees.

•53 percent said they were more likely to buy a product at a 5 percent higher cost from an environmentally friendly company; 20 percent said they were unlikely to pay extra.

Read more:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/apr/17/tdmain01-poll-shows-virginians-are-concerned-about-ar-977940/

Feeling an impact in Southside

By The Editorial Board
Published: March 23, 2011

It will take years to learn the lessons being taught by the problems at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

But the world is watching Fukushima Daiichi, and not just because of the immediate concerns for human health and safety in the area around the plant.

Fukushima Daiichi could eventually lead to the cancellation of other proposed nuclear power plants, both in this country and around the world. That kind of reaction happened after Chernobyl and Three Mile Island; it could happen again.

Given the uncertainly about Fukushima Daiichi and what could happen to the future demand for new nuclear power plants, the opponents of Virginia Uranium Inc.’s proposed mine and mill in Pittsylvania County want the National Academy of Sciences to consider how Fukushima Daiichi could depress the future worldwide demand for uranium.

It’s a good question to be asking right now.

“Who deals with the situation if the uranium company starts mining and milling, becomes unprofitable, and abandons the site?” mining opponent Deborah Lovelace said in a statement. “What will happen to our farming and water while waiting for clean-up? Who pays for any contamination?”

Read more:
http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/mar/23/feeling-impact-southside-ar-920914/?referer=None#

Metallurgical Studies Initiated on Coles Hill

Virginia Energy Resources Inc. (TSX.V:VAE) is pleased to announce the initiation of metallurgical studies
for the Coles Hill project located in southern Virginia, USA. This work is being undertaken in accordance
with the recommendations of the NI43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment, which was announced on
October 18, 2010 and posted on SEDAR December 2, 2010.

The Preliminary Economic Assessment relied upon previous metallurgical work completed by Colorado
School of Mines Research Institute and Hazen Research in 1982, which focused on conventional uranium
processing methods of that era. The historical metallurgical testing included agitated leaching of ground
core samples with sulfuric acid and with sodium carbonate plus sodium bicarbonate. Because of high acid
consumption, alkaline leaching was the recommended.

Read more:
http://www.kitco.com/pr/1845/article_05032011105335.pdf

Meeting: Roanoke River Basin

 

Roanoke River Basin
 

The spring meeting of the Roanoke River Basin Association Board of Directors and Executive

Committee will be held on June 11, 2011

at the H. Leslie Perry Library, Henderson, NC.

We will meet in the Farm Bureau Room.

The Board of Directors meeting is at 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

.

 Open to the public

Parking is available on both sides of th
We will have "RRBA Event" signs outsidee building

By The Editorial Board
Published: June 06, 2011

To the editor:

In response to “Let’s wait on study before deciding” (May 29, page A11), I would like to take exception to the author’s claims of the qualities of the National Academy of Sciences.

I, too, shared the view of the NAS prior to its acceptance of $1.4 million fromVirginia Tech so that this “study” would fit the parameters of their mandates prohibiting funding from private corporations or individuals. In addition, the “study commission,” as you well know, is made up of mining and nuclear industry executives, and they are hardly representative of what anyonewould call “impartial panelists.”

In addition, the author wrote at some length to the existence of modern mining and waste management techniques in the uranium mining industry. Everyone studying the problem is privy to the same information. What that data says is that everywhere uranium has been mined— all over the planet— lives, health and livelihoods have been devastated by the pollution caused by mining uranium.

The NAS study will not state whether or not it is going to be safe to mine and mill uranium in Virginia. The scope of their study is clearly one of recommending a safe management system, i.e., how to go about this project with the least damage to health and the environment. As a result, VUI seems to be awaiting the results of the study before they publish a plan of action.

As for criticism of Mary Rafferty of the Sierra Club and her charges of negotiations “behind closed doors,” what do you expect when VUI has spent money with lobbyists to sway the General Assembly to lift the existing moratorium? To many of us, these charges are valid.

HUNTER AUSTIN

Hurt

http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jun/06/nas-mining-study-fatally-flawed-ar-1088470/

Is mining hearing an Areva 'love-in'?

By The Editorial Board
Published: June 07, 2011

To the editor:

When the National Academy of Science announced the committee to study "uranium mining in Virginia," there was opportunity for public comment. Some comments expressed concern that Henry Schnell of Areva may have a conflict of interest when serving on the committee. But, the NAS chose to allow him to remain, stating they were "unable to find another individual with the equivalent experience and technical expertise as Mr. Schnell who does not have a similar conflict of interest. Therefore, we have concluded that this potential conflict is unavoidable."

The agenda for the sixth and final meeting of the National Academy of Science regarding uranium mining in Virginia was scheduled for June 6-9 in Saskatoon, Canada. Three of the five presenters on the agenda for June 9’s session work for Areva Resources Canada Inc. Apparently, Schnell needed back-up.

Ray Ganthner, a former Areva vice president from Lynchburg, recently placed an op-ed in local newspapers asking us to "await the results of the NAS study, rather than rushing to a hasty prejudgment based on our own opinions."

Ganthner is chairman of the Virginia Energy Independence Alliance and states the Alliance’s "full confidence in the NAS to conduct a thorough, independent, unbiased and scientifically based assessment."

Among VEIA’s corporate sponsors are AREVA and Virginia Uranium Inc. Ganthner further states, "I encourage opponents, and all Virginians, to fully engage in the NAS process, rather than prejudging its conclusions."

That’s difficult to do when meetings are 2,000 miles from home. With all the Areva folks presenting at this NAS meeting, perhaps it should have been held in Lynchburg. That would increase the chances of those of us who will be directly affected by uranium mining, milling and tailings storage in Virginia to more "fully engage."

Ganthner went on to state, "It is not right to say that we know better than the experts at the NAS about whether uranium mining can be done safely in Virginia." Are all the experts from Areva?

Areva’s prominent presence in the sixth and final NAS meeting should be noted. This week NAS seems to stand for "Now Areva Speaks."

KAREN MAUTE
Mount Cross

http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jun/07/mining-hearing-areva-love--ar-1089406/

Letter to NAS Uranium Mining Meeting

 

Dear Mr. Locke,

Before asking you and your study committee to reconsider Dr. Gordon Edwards, I would like to take a moment to thank you for returning my calls on 5/20/2011 and 5/23/2011. Citizens of Pittsylvania County and Virginia represented by public interest groups, such as League of Individuals for the Environment, Virginia Sierra Club, Roanoke River Basin Association, PRIDE, Southside Concerned Citizens and Floyd UBan, feel that we were treated unfairly when the NAS declined to hear Dr. Gordon Edwards' presentation. The NAS Committee meeting in Saskatoon, Canada is the last chance for the citizens of Virginia to offer input to the study which will be used by VA legislators to determine the future of our state.

The present agenda includes at least five presentations from the uranium industry, including three presentations from Areva, one by Cameco Corporation and one by Colorado School of Mines. However, there is not a single presentation by a representative of Virginia citizens. Areva and Cameco have a vested interest in having Virginia's uranium mining ban lifted. Areva has been a vocal supporter of opening up Virginia for uranium mining, and its representative Virginia Energy Independence Alliance already spoke before the Committee as one of stakeholders during the meeting in Danville, VA. In light of the presence of Areva's executive on the Committee, it is especially inappropriate to devote a whole meeting session to hear Areva and its affiliate Cameco , leaving no time for a speaker recommended by the citizens who will be directly affected if the uranium mining ban is lifted.

This situation is blatantly unfair to Virginia citizens and we appeal to your sense of justice and ask that you reconsider your decision to reject Dr. Edwards' participation.

Unlike Areva and Cameco, Dr. Gordon Edwards has no vested interest in lifting the uranium mining ban in Virginia.

Dr. Gordon Edwards is well qualified to speak on shortfalls of uranium mining techniques and provide a counter balance to presentations by the industry.

This is nothing more than a request for a balanced representation and analysis of the issues that will directly affect our livelihoods. We hope you will reconsider the earlier decision and honor our request for just and fair treatment.


Sincerely,

Phillip Lovelace
LIFE, Inc.
Gretna, Virginia

NAS uranium panel heads to Canada

Associated Press - June 6, 2011 3:05 AM ET

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A National Academy of Sciences panel studying uranium mining in Virginia is traveling to Canada to visit a mining and milling site.

The Committee on Uranium Mining in Virginia is headed to Saskatchewan, where it will tour the Rabbit Lake uranium facility. Panel members also will hear later this week from Canadian mines and public health officials.

Read more:
http://www.wvva.com/Global/story.asp?S=14843937

For some, mining clean up at Cave Hills comes too late

By LAUREN DONOVAN,
Bismarck Tribune |
Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2011 11:55 pm

CAVE HILLS, S.D. - Tom Kalisiak and everyone in his family have had their gallbladders removed.

It could be a coincidence that they all grew up downwind and downstream from abandoned uranium mines in the beautiful Cave Hills and became ill.

He doesn't think so. He doesn't think it's a coincidence that the cattle he grazes out there die from immune system illnesses, like pneumonia, that shouldn't kill them.

He supplements copper - "By the vet's standards it's enough to kill them" - but the level in the animals' blood work only registers normal. The heavy metals from the uranium pits "tie up" copper, as well as zinc, in the animals, both elements critical to immune systems.

So far, he should count his blessings. A friend and neighbor, Randy Feist, is living without a kidney from cancer linked to uranium and arsenic exposure.

Read more:
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/article_dda9224c-7daa-11e0-be1c-001cc4c002e0.html

Navajo Group to Take Uranium Mine Challenge to Human Rights Commission

By APRIL REESE of Greenwire

Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining, with the help of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, will submit a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights arguing that the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's decision to grant Hydro Resources Inc., a license to mine uranium ore near Churchrock and Crown Point, N.M., is a violation of international laws.

The groups contend the mines, first permitted by NRC in 1999, could contaminate drinking water for 15,000 Navajo residents in and around the two communities, which lie just outside the Navajo Nation. In 2005, the
Navajo's tribal government passed a law prohibiting uranium mining within its borders.

"By its acts and omissions that have contaminated and will continue to contaminate natural resources in the Dine communities of Crownpoint and Church Rock, the State has violated Petitioners' human rights and
breached its obligations under the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man," the petition reads.

"We're very hopeful," said Eric Jantz, an attorney with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center who is filing the petition on behalf of ENDAUM.

"I think we have very solid claims. It's always been our client's position that clean water is a human right."

The United Nations also recognizes clean water as a human right, he added.

Read more:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/message/22584?var=0

Chernobyl in the Gulf of Mexico

APRIL 29, 2011 12:25PM

BP Spill Released Dangerous Amounts of Radioactive Material Into the Gulf

It’s been more than a year since BP’s runaway Macondo Well began filling the northern waters of the Gulf of Mexico with more than 200 million gallons of sweet crude, fouling shorelines from Louisiana’s marshes to the Florida Panhandle. As our nation’s worst man-made environmental disaster unfolded, it quickly became the lead story of the summer – with photos of oiled birds and video of gushing oil entrancing the American public, and the world.

Reports of unexplained health problems are soaring – and the primary suspects are the toxic compounds contained in BP’s oil and the chemical dispersants used to break down the crude. From flu-like symptoms to blindness to intense chest pain to severe sinus inflammation, people across the Gulf region are reporting debilitating illnesses in the wake of the spill.

To determine how the spill may be causing this spike in sicknesses, we need to look at how the toxins are released into the environment

Dr. Busby explains the health risk:

Uranium is increasingly seen to be a very serious hazard to humans due to its high affinity for genetic material and its ability to trap and amplify natural background gamma radiation at the one place in the body it can do most harm. For this reason, humans have developed responses to uranium ingestion over evolutionary time scales in the form of low absorption from the gut. But humans have never had to deal with uranium inhalation. Once inhaled, uranium can directly enter the brain or pass through the lungs into the lymphatic nodes and blood system, causing the wide range of neurological conditions that were identified as Gulf War syndrome at one extreme and cancer at the other.

Read more:
http://open.salon.com/blog/stuarthsmith/2011/04/29/chernobyl_in_the_gulf_of_mexico_8

Fall Cankerworms Strip Leaves from Central Virginia Trees

10:46 a.m. EDT, April 27, 2011
From a news release from The Virginia Department of Forestry:

RICHMOND, VA - The suburban Richmond area, including the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Powhatan and Amelia, is experiencing an outbreak of fall cankerworm – a native insect pest that is defoliating many forested areas. Hardest hit are areas around Route 60 between Powhatan and Midlothian that have experienced defoliation so intense that many trees have been stripped of all their leaves. Areas around Interstates 95 and 295 in Henrico and Hanover counties have also reported significant damage.

According to Virginia Department of Forestry officials, fall cankerworms are native insects that usually go unnoticed in the forest, but occasionally develop into large outbreak populations that can strip trees bare by feeding on all parts of the leaves, leaving only the midribs or larger veins behind.

VDOF’s Forest Health Specialist Dr. Chris Asaro said, “Most of the trees that have suffered complete defoliation are oaks and maples. Cankerworms do feed on many other tree species – such as elm, apple, hickory, ash, beech and cherry – but generally these species have suffered much lighter defoliation with the current outbreak.”

Though these insects present no health problems to the public, homeowners with heavy defoliation around their property may be distressed by the sudden appearance of defoliation; the large degree of webbing, and the insect excrement (called frass) that falls from the trees and covers everything. The frass is dry and harmless, but can fall in such large quantities that if you listen carefully, it can sound as though a light rain is falling, according to Asaro.

“As for the trees, even those that are completely defoliated usually recover by leafing out again,” he said. “Since fall cankerworm is an early spring defoliator, trees that are otherwise healthy will have time to refoliate and green up again by mid-summer.”

Cankerworm outbreaks can re-occur over several years, but typically populations crash on their own as they are attacked by numerous insect predators and parasites. Trees that experience multiple years of severe defoliation may become susceptible to other health concerns and eventually die. However, most trees with only one year of defoliation or less than 50 percent defoliation over multiple years will recover – provided that drought or some other environmental stress factor is not also present.

“In most circumstances, spraying an insecticide, such as B.t., is not desirable or practical over such a large scale, although some communities with chronic fall cankerworm infestations have opted to have trees treated,” Asaro said. “With the current outbreak, however, most of the feeding has already occurred so spraying at this point would serve no purpose. Larvae have to be controlled soon after they hatch from eggs before they become large enough to cause damage.”

Fall cankerworm caterpillars hatch in late March or early April and are now approaching full size. Typically, they are light green with white stripes along the length of the body. However, in heavy populations a majority of the caterpillars are a grayish-green color with black stripes. Both color forms may be observed together. When caterpillars run out of food on a particular tree or are finished feeding, they hang down from silken strands until they reach the ground to either search for more food or to find a place in the soil where they spin tough cocoons made from silk and soil particles. Adult moths emerge from these cocoons in the fall and are active during cold weather. Adult female moths are unusual looking because they are wingless. Females climb trees and attract the flying males; mate with them, and lay about 100 brownish eggs in a tight cluster on tree trunks, branches and twigs. The eggs then hatch the following spring to repeat the one-year life cycle.

“These cankerworm outbreaks are unpredictable, but generally recur in the same areas,” Asaro said. “Typically, many years pass between major outbreaks in any given location, and the last large outbreak of fall cankerworm reported from this region occurred in Chesterfield County in 1999.”

Read more:
http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-fall-cankerworms-strip-many-central-virginia-trees-of-leaves-20110427,0,6861160.story