Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring made a campaign stop in Roanoke on Saturday to show his support for Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) in the run-up to the midterm elections. While Herring was in Southwest Virginia, he opined on the situation surrounding a renewed battle to mine uranium ore in the area, an issue fraught with contention with some constituents.
In fact, some parts of the area are still littered with signs exclaiming “ban uranium mining” and “no uranium mining,” which serve as proof that the contentious battle between citizens and business interests still exists.
A decision upholding the ban from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ended with a split decision last year stating that Virginia was the “paramount protector” of its minerals, following interest from the Pittsylvania County-based mining company Virginia Uranium looking to unearth a massive deposit of the radioactive ore. Although the court ruled in favor of the Commonwealth, a new amicus brief filed Virginia Uranium, Coles Hills, and Bowen Minerals in April claims that the lower court decision was incorrect.
Reporters from ABC 13 asked Herring about the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court Case: Virginia Uranium, Inc. v. Warren.
Herring explained that he does not agree with the proliferation of mining uranium in the area because he says there are a lot of health and safety concerns of mining.
“That the state of Virginia had, the General Assembly had when it enacted the ban to begin with and I think it’s important that those safety concerns that the General Assembly thought about as it made it’s decision is upheld,” Herring said, according to the report.
Virginia Uranium says it wants to mine the ore in Pittsylvania County, arguing that federal law should prevail over the state mining ban, thus seeking to end the mining ban that began in 1982.
The case will be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 5th. The question to be answered by the high court will be if the federal Atomic Energy Act (AEA) preempts a Virginia ban on non-federal uranium mining.