In an op-ed last week the Virginia Chapter of the Health Physics Society (an organization dedicated to “promote excellence in the science and practice of radiation safety”) stated that Uranium mining in Southern Virginia was good for the economy and smart energy policy.
Carter Ficklen, Virginia head of the organization, wrote that “uranium mining in the Commonwealth of Virginia can and should be pursued.”
The endorsement characterized that mining was safe, well-regulated, and necessary given energy demands. It also stated that the site is required by law to be restored to its “original condition.”
Ficklen writes:
“The proposed mining endeavors can be carried out with minimal impact on the environmental quality of the surrounding areas while simultaneously stimulating the economy of Southside Virginia, filling a vacancy in our country’s energy needs, and reducing the United State’s dependency on foreign sources of energy.”
