The Virginia Coalition is a diverse group of current Southside Virginia job creators who are concerned about the health of our employees and workforce, as well as our future ability to recruit new companies and employees into the region given the health implications of uranium mining. We are CEO's, business owners, entrepreneurs, economic developers and current and former legislators who have a simple request: READ The Reports before voting on a matter with such far reaching ramifications.

Uranium study leader following issue in Va.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Like many fellow Virginia residents, the chairman of the National Academy of Sciences panel that studied uranium mining is following the issue as the state wrestles with the possibility of ending a 30-year ban on mining the radioactive metal.

Unlike another Virginian on the committee, however, Paul A. Locke is keeping his opinion to himself. A member of his committee, Peter deFur, publicly stated his opposition to uranium mining in Virginia last week, and he outlined the reasons in detail Thursday. He called the obstacles to uranium mining "insurmountable."

NRC team to discuss possible role in Va. mining

CHATHAM, Va. (AP) — Federal officials are due in Virginia to explain their possible role in regulating uranium mining and milling if the state ends a 30-year ban on tapping the radioactive ore.

A team of Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials will join a state panel studying a range of issues relating to uranium mining and milling at a meeting Thursday night in Chatham. The Pittsylvania County town is the epicenter of a debate over whether Virginia should end the ban and let a company mine a deposit of the radioactive ore.

Uranium mining focus of August meetings in Va.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The contentious subject of uranium mining is the focus of a raft of meetings in Virginia in August.

The state Department of Health has scheduled hearings in three locations, starting Aug. 7 in Chatham. Others are planned in Warrenton and Virginia Beach. They are intended to gauge the public's concerns about uranium mining's impact on streams and wells. Some of those meetings will run all day.

Virginia uranium mining debate continues

ROANOKE, VA -- The debate over uranium mining in Virginia continues. Area leaders, professors and environmental groups gathered for a day-long conference on the issue at Virginia Western Community College Friday.

Most agree we need uranium but have mixed opinions about if mining should happen in Southside Virginia.

"There's not enough of it and the dangers of the world's supply and the danger to the community and to the state, I don't think it's worth it" says Cabell Brand, founder of the Cabell Brand Center.

"I'm concerned that any leakage of any radioactivity into the air, the water, the soil with have adverse consequences. Not only on human health but the water supplies, well life, the agriculture in Pittsylvania County if it gets into the milk and the dairy cows, or into the food supply. Of the course the chances of this happening are not very great, but any chances like that are probably more than we should accept" says former Roanoke City councilman Rupert Cutler.

Va. officials to discuss uranium study group

Critics of the McDonnell administration's approach to the prospect of uranium mining in Virginia will have a chance to deliver their complaints directly to the leaders of that effort.

The governor's office says administration officials will meet with environmental groups this afternoon to discuss how the Uranium Working Group is proceeding in its task. Some have complained that the process is not sufficiently transparent to ensure public oversight.

Questions flow at Danville uranium meeting

Uranium mining and milling and its risks continue to leave residents asking questions about what would happen if Virginia Uranium Inc. develops the Coles Hill site.

About 200 people packed the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research on Tuesday night to hear the findings in the National Academy of Sciences’ report on uranium mining in Virginia and to ask questions of study panel members and staff.

Repeatedly, study committee chairman Paul Locke told residents many of their specific questions regarding impacts of the proposed Pittsylvania County project would need to be answered by a site-specific study.

“Nothing is as important as a site-specific study,” said John Cannon, chairman of the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority and president of The Virginia Coalition.

Cannon said he’ll take the questions raised at the meeting to legislators and a state workgroup that would be studying the issue and drafting a regulatory framework as requested

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