National Academy of Sciences accepting nominations for uranium study committee
The National Research Council (NRC) – the chief operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) – announced this week that it is accepting nominations for a 12-member committee to conduct an 18-month scientific study of uranium mining in Virginia. Nominations should be sent to Nicholas Rogers (nrogers@nas.edu) from the National Academy.
From the Chatham Star-Tribune:
The council is hoping to identify suitable members for the study committee with expertise in areas such as ecology, environmental and mining law, environmental remediation, geology, ground and surface water hydrogeochemistry, health communications, mine safety, mine regulation and reclamation, radiation health effects; and uranium mining, milling, processing, and engineering.”
Before being approved to serve on the committee, all nominees must undergo a thorough review to ensure the absence of any financial or other conflicts of interest. The committee selection process is expected to conclude this spring. The committee will then hold a series of public information gathering meetings in Richmond and Danville in the summer. The study’s report is due in December 2011.
The NRC agreed last week to perform the study sponsored by the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission to determine the health, safety and environmental impact of uranium mining in Virginia.
The largest undeveloped uranium deposit in the United States is found in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Coles Hill – as the deposit is known – is believed to contain enough uranium to fuel Virginia’s entire nuclear power supply for more than 65 years. Virginia gets almost 40% of its electricity from nuclear energy. The project is also expected to create as many as 500 jobs with an annual salary of $68,000, more than double the average annual salary for Pittsylvania County. Developing the deposit will also generate roughly $13 million in annual local tax revenue. That’s more than $200 in vital services for every resident of the County.
The independent, scientific study by the National Academy will make recommendations to the Virginia General Assembly as it considers whether to end the Commonwealth’s 25-year-old moratorium on uranium mining. A 1983 study – also sponsored by the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission – found that mining and milling the Coles Hill deposit could be undertaken safely and without harming the environment.
