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By VELMA SMITH
In 1961 the Virginia General Assembly made a vital commitment to the health of the Commonwealth’s citizens and the protection of her resources. The commitment took the form of a simple resolution to study the probable impacts of a prospective new industry — uranium mining and milling.
Since that time our legislators have twice reaffirmed that pledge to safety through foresight: In 1962 and 1988 the legislators found unanimous agreement on a statewide moratorium on uranium mining.
The legislature this year decided to keep that moratorium in place for at least one more year. A review of the issue reveals the wisdom of that course.
When uranium leaaat in the tobacco fisida of Soothside Virginia and amidst dairy herds just 70 miles outside of Washington first prompted concern, an effort to consider the consequences of an industry new to Virginia seamed realtively uncontroversial and straightforward.
In reality the task has been neither. It has embroiled proponents and opponents in numerous public disagreements, on occasion attracted the attention of the national press, and cost the state treasury more than $200,000.
The state has e greatly enchanced understanding of the problems posed by the industry, the types of technology that will mitigate those problems and the lessons learned by states which did not have the leisure to develop sophisticated regulatory programs. What we do not yet have is an answer
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