About 80 people attended the August 7, 2012, meeting in Chatham held by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to gather public input on concerns over potential well-water and recreational-waters impacts of proposed uranium mining. According to the Lynchburg News & Advance account of the meeting, 23 people spoke, all in opposition to a proposed mine in Pittsylvania County (Chatham is the Pittsylvania’s county seat). The Chatham meeting is the first of three evening public-input meetings (the others are August 15 in Warrenton and August 29 in Virginia Beach). Comments in the meeting are to be recorded and included in information considered by the Commonwealth’s Uranium Working Group, established by Governor McDonnell to consider regulations that would be needed if Virginia’s uranium-mining moratorium were lifted. Video of the meetings are to be posted on the Work Group’s Web site at www.uwg.vi.virginia.gov, according to Maureen Dempsey, of the VDH. VDH will also hold three day-long discussion sessions with a small group of participants (August 8 in Chatham, August 16 in Warrenton, and August 30 in Virginia Beach). According to the Danville Register and Bee, “about 20 people, including uranium mining opponents, scientists, local government representatives and group leaders,” participated in the first group-discussion session on August 8. For more information on the VDH public-meeting schedule, please see the News Grouper’s 7/27/12 post, Uranium Mining Issues for Private Wells and Recreational Waters to be Focus of Six Public Meetings by Virginia Department of Health, August 7-August 30, 2012.
Sources: State health department hears water concerns, Lynchburg News & Advance, 8/7/12; Well water impact questioned at uranium public hearing, Danville Register & Bee, 8/7/12; and Randomly selected participants speak to health officials on uranium, Danville Register & Bee, 8/8/12
