General Assembly Update
This week’s column from Richmond is being written after the General Assembly has completed its first full week of business. Subcommittees and committees are meeting and acting on legislation, and some measures have been passed by the full House of Delegates in our daily floor session. One notable measure to pass both the House and Senate is a bill that will re-apportion Congressional districts for the next ten years. This bill is now being reviewed by the Governor for his approval.
Governor McDonnell also made an announcement this week regarding one of the most important issues pending before the General Assembly this year. The Governor is asking the General Assembly to take no action to permit uranium mining during its 2012 session, calling instead for the continuation of the state’s moratorium on uranium mining pending a comprehensive and on-site study of the issue to be completed by a newly-created multi-agency state workgroup. The Governor’s directive that the state work group look further into the specific issues surrounding mining at a particular site in the Commonwealth follows a thorough review by the McDonnell Administration of the recent National Academy of Sciences report that looked broadly at uranium mining in Virginia. The report noted, “At present, there are gaps in legal and regulatory coverage for activities involved in uranium mining, processing, reclamation and long-term stewardship. Some of these gaps have resulted from the moratorium on uranium mining that Virginia has in place; others are gaps in current laws or regulations, or in the way that they are applied.”
While the Governor’s directive is focused on a site in Pittsylvania County, the implications of actions here could directly impact Culpeper, Madison, and Orange as potential uranium deposits were previously identified in this area. I have traveled to the Coles Hill site at my own expense and see many similarities to our region. The opportunity for high-paying jobs and contributing to energy independence must be balanced with public safety, environmental protection, and possible negative economic impacts for property owners and farmers in the area of mining and milling. Further evaluation and understanding of how uranium mining and milling might be regulated for the life of the mill and beyond appears warranted, and the Governor’s action, while not universally agreed to, seems to be particularly appreciated by legislators from the region where uranium mining might occur.
Last Monday’s holiday brought a number of citizen lobbyists to the capital. It is encouraging to see public participation in state government, and we continued to welcome visitors throughout the week. If you would like to visit during this year’s session, we would be glad to see you. Please call the Richmond office at (804)-698-1030 or e-mail us at DelEScott@house.virginia.gov so that we can make arrangements to hear your interests and concerns. If you are not able to make the visit, we welcome your input, and I would again encourage you to complete our annual survey which is available online at http://survey.house.virginia.gov/Survey.aspx?surveyid=2661.
