The Virginia uranium that might power those plants and America’s 104 existing civilian reactors is off-limits because of a ban enacted by the state in 1982. That was the last time a mine and mill was proposed for Pittsylvania County (named after William Pitt the Elder), a vast former tobacco-and-textile area above the Virginia-North Carolina border. The Coles, father and son, are campaigning to have the moratorium lifted. At least $7,000 has been contributed to state lawmakers, and more could flow in Virginia’s approaching elections. Five lobbying firms are busily at work, and an online effort to enlist support is under way.

The mine—an idea that is at least five years from becoming reality, says the elder Mr Coles—could generate 300-500 jobs in a region where unemployment is high. Danville, the area’s biggest city, had a jobless rate in January of 16.8%. Opponents retort that the latest figures from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that only 500 people are employed in uranium mining and milling nationwide.

This story about Pittsylvania's proposed uranium mine is becoming so huge that the Economist has picked up on it. The Economist - a magazine that focuses on world economies - naturally focuses on the monetary portion of this project. While it appears the Cole family will make out - as well as any backers - if this mining project comes to fruition, the idea that this mine will bring immediate remediation to local economy is a moot argument now with the facts published in this highly-regarded magazine.

As the article points out, the mine is five years from becoming reality. In the meantime, Governor Kaine has granted a two-year time frame for testing (testing what? that's one question), a point that this article does not touch upon and that could mitigate any development at all. Finally, the figures from the EIA quoted above are correct. Frankly, I wouldn't want a member of my family working in a uranium mine, even if that person had a chance to obtain one of the few jobs available within five years or so...if ever.

This article, if nothing else, points out the flimsy economical argument for creating this project in the first place. The residents won't benefit, nor will any possible economic "booms" be forthcoming in the near future. The winners? The Coles.