It’s hard to miss the “green” movement taking place in our society. Only, when looking at their information (as in the propaganda on our latest news clips) it seems that sometimes the “green” group is more focused on slandering nuclear organizations than promoting their own. The following will take a look at this anti-nuclear flyer and attempt to set some of the facts straight.
“In-Situ” uranium mining has destroyed aquifers in South Texas so that residents can no longer use their wells and have to buy water. To date, no mining company has ever successfully restored an aquifer.
The fact of the matter is mining is an enormous part of our economy and lifestyle. From the brick, mortar and cement used to build our buildings and roads to the uranium and coal that generate our electricity, mining is essential to our way of life. The aggregates and concrete industries provide over 121,000 permanent jobs in our state with coal mining and generating facilities responsible for another 30,000 jobs. It turns out Texas is the 4th largest producer of clay and aggregates in the nation and 5th largest producer of coal. This is important because we are the number 1 consumer of coal for electricity generation in the country. With all this activity taking place throughout our environment, there are many steps taken to ensure nature is restored and maintained. “Each year, the Texas lignite mining industry spends in excess of $100 million on land restoration and other environmental procedures including ground water protection and improvement, clean air protection and archaeological review and protection (25% of the total spent on products and services by the industry).” [Texas Mining and Reclamation Assoc.] The restored land is well suited for many things ranging from grazing grounds for livestock to growing crops and some even serving as wildlife habitats. The mining industry makes every effort to in many cases restore the land to a better state than it was prior to operation. Another relative statistic; “based on the EPA’s Acid Rain Database, Texas ranks 6th best in the nation and is best among coal-using states in emissions of NOx.” [Texas Mining and Reclamation Assoc.] With the mining industry’s efficient and conservative efforts, we enjoy the luxuries we’ve come to take for granted on a daily basis and at the same time may rest assured our environment’s well being is being attentively sought after.