The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Massive flooding near a proposed uranium mine in south-central Virginia could temporarily contaminate Virginia Beach's water supply, a city study released Tuesday found.
City officials oppose mining a Pittsylvania County hilltop rich in uranium, fearing a hurricane or tropical storm could destroy landfill-like containers holding radioactive waste and flush contaminants into Lake Gaston, a main source of city water.
The state is exploring lifting a 29-year ban on uranium mining for the Pittsylvania project, about 200 miles from Virginia Beach.
Mine opponents seized on the study to buttress claims that uranium mining is dangerous. Supporters criticized the study for not evaluating the likelihood of a massive flood and for not including Lake Gaston in the study area.
The $437,000 study undertaken by the Michael Baker Corp. engineering firm found that a large reservoir upstream of Lake Gaston would trap as much as 90 percent of radioactive waste. The remaining contaminants could make their way into Lake Gaston, forcing officials to cut off water from there up to two years.
Not all city water comes from Lake Gaston.
"It's not Armageddon, but turning the water supply off for a year wouldn't be good," said Tom Leahy, director of public utilities. The main damage would be upstream of Lake Gaston, he said.
The city didn't have enough money to include Lake Gaston in the $437,000 study, he said. The study is based on what would happen to Kerr Reservoir, which flows into Lake Gaston.
The City Council agreed Tuesday to spend $165,000 on another study that would include Lake Gaston. City officials said they will ask Chesapeake and Norfolk to help pay. Water from Lake Gaston partially serves Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk.
"Everyone had been told this study would examine water quality in Lake Gaston, but after $440,000 there's no conclusion there," said Patrick Wales, project manager for Virginia Uranium Inc., the company pursuing the mine.
Wales, who called the study an "expensive exercise in fantasy," criticized the city for not investigating how likely a massive flood was in the area.
Leahy said flooding from past hurricanes, including Camille in 1969, show the area is at risk.
Environmentalists praised the study.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Uranium
Yes, some of Southern Virginians were against the Lake Gaston pipeline - excuse us for loving our water. Most of us here in Southern Virginia wish to protect our natural resources which are our greatest assets. There is one thing for sure, we do not have the population or political clout to stop the lifting of the uranium mining ban in Virginia. WE NEED VIRGINIA BEACH and all of the other communities that share the water in the Roanoke River Basin to help us. Most Southern Virginians that I know do not wish to compromise the Roanoke River basin to create 350 jobs and to make a couple of families wealthier.
this is the same area of va that was against lake gaston
This is the same area of va that was against the lake gaston pipeline in the first place. Sorry the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Selfishness
VA Beach residents and officials are about as selfish as they get. For the 0.00001% chance (a massive flood every 200 years) that the few years of uranium mining could ever effect the first Beach resident, you are all preventing a community in DIRE need of jobs and money TO EAT AND KEEP THEIR HOMES from any chance at surviving.
Good thing I'm not the one judging when it's said and done.
The needs of the many outweigh the wants of the few
You are kidding, right?
You would prefer that a few people in some tiny community get some low-end mining jobs to benefit a foreign-owned company and risk the water supply of over a million people in this area?
BTW
I should mention when you drink from a reservoir, you're putting in your mouth excrement from everything from humans to dogs to waterfowl and cattle. I wouldn't be as concerned as you all are about some diluted, LOW LEVEL radiation. From the ground it's almost harmless without refining.
Lack of planning on your (VA
Lack of planning on your (VA Beach) part does (should) not constitute an emergency on others.
A secondary plan should have been made a long time ago on a water supply for your "million people" (VA Beach has under a half million residents). If you don't have another source it sounds like your problem. I bet before the "massive flooding" comes, there will be an alternative source if this guy is allowed to sell HIS Uranium off HIS land.
seriously, are you on their payroll?
The water that flows from Gaston reaches Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Add in the transient military population and the two million-plus tourists per year, and a lot of people's water could be contaminated.
Not worth the risk just to benefit a foreign company.
That's my original point
Thank you for clarifying my original point - it's just not worth it to YOU... That would define selfish.
And no, I'm not on their payroll - I have nothing to benefit other than seeing the people of Southside VA (I don't live there) come out of poverty. I can't blame the people of Hampton Roads, society is down-right selfish nowadays.
Right
Southside Virginia is a long way from Canada, which is where the money from the mine would go.
Risking the water supply of a million plus people trumps a few jobs in a small rural county every day of the week.
read please
If you could read, you would see that I've addressed the risk - there is none from unprocessed uranium.
Why do you think the National Guard isn't standing over the mine to prevent terrorists from throwing it in the river smart guy?