Virginia Argues for Maintaining Longstanding Uranium Mining Ban

Press Statement from the Southern Environmental Law Center
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 5, 2018

Contact: Mark Sabath, Senior Attorney, [email protected]; 434-977-4090
              Claudine McElwain, Communications Manager, [email protected], 202-492-0659

                                                                                                                                                Virginia Argues for Maintaining Longstanding Uranium Mining Ban

Washington, DC— Today the United States Supreme Court heard argument from the Commonwealth of Virginia in support of its 35-year old statewide ban on uranium mining, which is being challenged by Virginia Uranium, Inc. in hopes of exploiting uranium-rich land in rural Virginia. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a brief supporting Virginia on behalf of the Roanoke River Basin Association, Dan River Basin Association, and Piedmont Environmental Council. 

“The people of Virginia made a decision to prohibit an activity that poses severe risks to the public’s health, natural landscape, and economic diversity of communities in Virginia,” said Mark Sabath, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.  “The federal government and the courts should respect that decision.”

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For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With more than 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org