He’s not in office yet, but Virginia’s next Governor is already making his position clear when it comes to uranium mining efforts.
It’s a touchy subject, but Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe is already diving into the issue of uranium mining in the state.
Just a week after being elected to office, McAuliffe says he will veto any bill seeking to lift the moratorium, or (seeking) to establish a regulatory framework for mining. That’s according to the Danville Register and Bee.
But McAuliffe admits that his statement is based on CURRENT scientific information and data, since he’s still not convinced that the mining is safe for communities, and worries about drinking water contamination.
McAuliffe’s Communications Director says, McAuliffe’s new transition team includes experts on uranium, and they’ll be working to keep the future governor informed on the latest mining data and information.
McAuliffe says that writing regulations would be a waste of time, unless the General Assembly intended to lift the moratorium.
The General Assembly could vote to lift the state’s uranium mining ban, although a veto of the bill, by the governor, could be overriden by a majority vote in both houses.