Monday, February 07, 2011

City in Virginia Publishes Study of Potential Impact of Uranium Tailings Dam Failure on Drinking Water Supplies

Virginia Beach Releases Results of Uranium Mining Study


Release Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2011 4:30 p.m.

The City of Virginia Beach today released findings of a study conducted in response to Virginia Uranium Inc.’s plan to develop a uranium mining operation in Pittsylvania County. This area in southwest Virginia is believed to contain a very large untapped deposit of uranium, but the site could be susceptible to heavy rains and flooding. This poses the threat of radiation flowing into downstream drinking water supplies, including Lake Gaston, which supplies drinking water to Virginia Beach and, indirectly, Chesapeake and Norfolk.

The study concluded that impacts to the drinking water supplies would be significant but not permanent after a worst-case storm. Depending on weather conditions, it could take two months to two years to completely flush radioactive contaminants out of Lake Gaston. Environmental and water quality impacts upstream would be greater and longer lasting.

Complete findings of the study will be available Friday on the Virginia Beach Department of Public Utilities website. The executive summary and other briefing documents are available now at:
http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=93c0d0e6f130e110VgnVCM100000190c640aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f04cd0e6f130e110VgnVCM100000190c640aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

A state ban on uranium mining would need to be lifted by the General Assembly before mining operations could begin. Virginia Uranium Inc. is seeking to have the General Assembly overturn the ban.

For additional information on the study, please contact Tom Leahy with the Department of Public Utilities at (757) 385-8654.

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Of particular note, the City of Virginia Beach, which has passed a resolution against mining uranium upstream, unsurprisingly has not changed its position as a result of the study. The City is still opposed to uranium mining upstream from its drinking water supplies.
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WQ-CAMU / COQCEU

We are a community group that works to protect our human, environmental, and economic health from the risks associated with uranium. Our goal is to obtain a permanent moratorium on uranium exploration, mining, and processing in MRC du Pontiac and MRC des Collines de l'Outaouais. To meet this goal our group advocates, educates, and builds coalitions.

Nous sommes un groupe communautaire travaillant à la protection de la santé humaine, environnementale et économique des risques associés à l'uranium. Notre objectif principal est d'obtenir un moratoire à long terme sur l'exploration et l'exploitation d'uranium dans la MRC du Pontiac et dans la MRC des Collines de l'Outaouais. Afin d'y parvenir, notre groupe défend, éduque et bâtit des coalitions.

More information: wq-camu@know-uranium.org



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