The first Virginia lawmaker to announce his vote on the uranium mining ban says his colleagues should consider his decision.
Delegate Don Merricks says he will vote against lifting the ban on uranium mining.
The proposal is expected to be introduced during the upcoming general assembly.
Merricks says he's read the studies but wants another year to research more site specific studies.
"I can not in good conscience vote to life the ban on this when there's so many unknowns. We still have to narrow down and get focused and we got to get serious about what's going to happen," said 16th District Delegate Don Merricks.
Three studies about the socioeconomic and environmental impacts have been released but Merricks says none of them give him concrete answers to support mining in Pittsylvania County.
