3 people discuss the National Academies of Scienceâs report which begins: âA range of health and environmental issues and related risks are important considerations as Virginia deliberates on whether to rescind its almost 30-year moratorium on mining uranium. Although there are internationally accepted best practices to mitigate most of these risks, there are still steep hurdles to be surmounted before mining and processing could take place within a regulatory setting that appropriately protects workers, the public, and the environment.â
Olga Kolutushkina, Mike Pucci, Sunny Gardener, engineer Ethan Scott and WRIR Richmond Independent Radio
Olga Kolutushkina and Mike Pucci discuss the report researched by National Academies of Science on the potential effects of mining uranium in Virginia. Olga is the regulatory and legislative adviser for the Roanoke River Basin Association, and spokesperson for the Dan River Basin Association's Uranium Mining Task Force. And Mike lives on Lake Gaston a huge reservoir in North Carolina , just downstream from where business men want to mine and mill uranium in Virginia. He is a concerned and informed citizen, who has thoroughly researched the issue and is working to ensure that NC is involved in decisions that will affect the fate of their water.
The researchers had not been charged with making a recommendation, nor with site specific evaluation. Paul Locke of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the group that did the research told us that there were huge obstacles that needed to be surmounted and a lot to learn about uranium mining.
Yet people continued to ask for recommendations and Paul Locke demurred saying âI would be very uncomfortable saying anything about that.â He and the others researchers were considerate, neutral and consistently pointed out that there are many hurdles to mining and milling safely.
00:26:59
1
March 28, 2012
The Live Room at Richmond Independent Radio, WRIR lp 97.3 FM
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