Governor Timothy M. Kaine issued the following statement today in response to the Obama administration’s proposal to impose increased restrictions on mountaintop removal mining:

“I applaud the new guidelines announced by the administration which will impose tighter restrictions on mountaintop mining.

“In Virginia, we’ve always taken a common sense approach to how we meet our energy needs. At the same time - for the sake of this generation of Virginians and the next - we have made conserving the natural beauty of our Commonwealth and protecting our environment more broadly a real priority.

“The improved coordination inherent in the review process proposed by the Obama administration today will ensure we address both our energy and our environmental needs. Moving forward, it is critical we maintain transparency in the review process to ensure all stakeholders - including our citizens and representatives of the coal-mining industry - have faith that their concerns are taken into account.

“As we continue to meet the challenges of the global financial downturn, we have an obligation to permit the recovery of traditional energy sources that fuel our economy. However, we also have a responsibility to discourage the use of mining methods that exploit our mountains and valleys. While we continue investing in and developing renewable energy sources, we must focus on using those mining methods that complement our conservation goals instead of moving our nation backwards.

“Along with the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality in Virginia, I look forward to working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Department of the Interior as we move towards a new process for implementing the proper environmental protection around mining operations.”

Within the past few weeks, every politician and uranium mining executive I've talked with mentions that I seem cynical. In fact, one politician stated that he understood the basis for my cynicism, but that he would work hard to overcome my perceptions about uranium mining safety. I doubt this.

In fact, with the press release above from Governor Kaine's office, I see uranium mining written all through that release. At the least, I see irony.

For instance, take the following quote:

"In Virginia, we’ve always taken a common sense approach to how we meet our energy needs. At the same time - for the sake of this generation of Virginians and the next - we have made conserving the natural beauty of our Commonwealth and protecting our environment more broadly a real priority."

In Virginia, energy needs have been met by reaching out to other programs, building nuclear power plants and building no renewable energy resources to date other than those purchased in other states (and which cost the consumer more than using power generated within the state). In this way, the 'beauty' of Virginia is maintained, unless you're living near Richmond and one of the nuclear power plants.

I'm curious to hear what Governor Kaine will say if the uranium mining moratorium is lifted, as he was an early proponent of studying mining feasibility for this state.

"As we continue to meet the challenges of the global financial downturn, we have an obligation to permit the recovery of traditional energy sources that fuel our economy. However, we also have a responsibility to discourage the use of mining methods that exploit our mountains and valleys. While we continue investing in and developing renewable energy sources, we must focus on using those mining methods that complement our conservation goals instead of moving our nation backwards."

In other words, let's keep digging that coal - and, hopefully, uranium - to build a renewable energy society? Right - I'll defer to some politicians' insistence that it will take continued extraction of nonrenewable resources to pay for renewable energy programs.

"Along with the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality in Virginia, I look forward to working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Department of the Interior as we move towards a new process for implementing the proper environmental protection around mining operations."

I'll bet.

Now, I don't sound THAT cynical, do I?