For the first time on Friday, the Virginia public was able to present the state agency presiding over the study with a list of questions they want answered when it’s released.
Citizens told the state they want to know “the environmental, safety, health, economic and social implications of allowing mining”. They also want to know “whether mining will be safe for county residents’ health, not only today, but three or 30 years from now, and what the site will look like 300 years later.” And most importantly, they will know “the potential for air and water contamination”.
The public will have several more months to give their input into the study. The state will even hold a meeting with residents near the mine. The study will begin after the public has their say and will take eighteen months to complete.
Citizens told the state they want to know “the environmental, safety, health, economic and social implications of allowing mining”. They also want to know “whether mining will be safe for county residents’ health, not only today, but three or 30 years from now, and what the site will look like 300 years later.” And most importantly, they will know “the potential for air and water contamination”.
The public will have several more months to give their input into the study. The state will even hold a meeting with residents near the mine. The study will begin after the public has their say and will take eighteen months to complete.
3 comments:
I absolutely believe the National Academy of Sciences would be an impartial player, but what if they turn down the request to study such a specific regional issue? Then what? Will the commission then say they have no other choice but to rely on Virginia Tech, which has developed a working relationship with the Coles over the years? I think it's reasonable to understand why some people are questioning how this study is going to play out if 1) Tech is a major participant, or 2) If Tech becomes the lead research agency if the NAS declines the commission's request to do the study. Residents also are hesitant about the funding source of such an extensive study and with good reason. If you're in the communications industry, you probably have already recognized that editorial boards across the Commonwealth have said if VUI pays for this study -- or contributes substantially -- the perception alone is enough to damage the impartiality of the process.
"what if they turn down the request to study such a specific regional issue?"
Has this even been discussed? I haven't heard anything about them not doing the study.
If they don't do the study, I trust that Virginia Tech will be able to take the lead and conduct an impartial study.
"you probably have already recognized that editorial boards across the Commonwealth have said if VUI pays for this study -- or contributes substantially -- the perception alone is enough to damage the impartiality of the process."
I haven't read any op-ed or editorial that makes this point. Do you have a link to any of them?
I seriously doubt that Virginia Tech would compromise over 100 years of credibility to throw the Coles family a bone. Chris makes an excellent point that both the NAS and VT are perfect choices to do an impartial study...neither entity would stake its reputation on a "maybe."
As far as VUI's funding of the study, I imagine that they do not have much of a choice in the matter. Should they ask that taxpayers pay for the study, they would be accused of trying to use taxpayer dollars to further their own financial goals. Who would pay for the study, if not VUI or the state?
Finally, I am unclear as to why the study would not address local issues. I have not read anything that says anything to that effect. What would be the point of a study addressing the feasibility and safety of uranium mining in a specific area if that study did not touch on the issues in that specific area? Let's say, hypothetically, the study did not address local issues... could not this fact be taken into account by the legislature when and if there is discussion of lifting a moratorium?
The bottom line is that we do not know enough about this deposit to make an informed decision about anything, and the only way to get informed is to do a study. Period.
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