Author Archive for Mary Rafferty

NAS to Hold Uranium Town Halls in Fairfax, Charlottesville & Richmond

By Mary Rafferty on Mar 26, 2012 in Uranium Mining

The National Academy of Science (NAS) will be in Fairfax, Richmond and Charlottesville this week to present the findings of their report “Uranium Mining in Virginia”. In December the NAS released their 250+ page report highlighting major public health and environmental concerns. These concerns along with a groundswell of public support for the ban have [...]

Have You Seen This Video?

By Mary Rafferty on Mar 19, 2012 in Beyond Coal, Climate Change

If every polluter’s lobbyist around Congress was suddenly replaced by a severely asthmatic child, then maybe Congress wouldn’t always be trying to gut clean air standards.
There is a growing body of scientific evidence that states that warming temperatures caused by industrial carbon pollution worsen smog pollution, which in turn causes asthma attacks and other respiratory [...]

Update from the 2012 General Assembly Session

By Mary Rafferty on Feb 12, 2012 in General Assembly, Uranium Mining

Our legislative committee has been hard at work for the past month tracking legislation and lobbying our state legislators to protect our access to clean air and water. I wanted to take a few minutes to give you a mid-session update on Sierra Club’s priorities.

Uranium Ban to [...]

Sierra Club Disappointed by Gov’s Uranium Directive

By Mary Rafferty on Jan 19, 2012 in General Assembly, Uranium Mining

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2012
For More Information
Lisa Guthrie (804) 240-1976
Mary Rafferty (401) 862-8749
Chris Miller (540) 347-2334
Conservation Groups Disappointed by  Governor’s Administrative Directive on Uranium Mining
In response to Governor McDonnell’s recent directive, conservation organizations expressed concern about the rush to write regulations for the uranium industry behind closed doors.
“On behalf of Virginians across the Commonwealth, we are disappointed by [...]

Keep The Ban On Uranium Mining in VA

By Mary Rafferty on Jan 11, 2012 in Uranium Mining

For more information & to track this issue throughout the General Assembly session visit:
www.KeepTheBan.org

Virginia has a nearly 30-year ban on uranium mining. A well financed push by the industry is trying to lift the ban so they can mine and process uranium, starting in Southside Virginia. Drinking water, human health, farmland, property values, wildlife [...]

George Washington National Forest

By Mary Rafferty on Jun 15, 2011 in Climate Change

Take a step to protect the George Washington National Forest today.
The George Washington is the national forest with the largest collection of federal lands in the greater Chesapeake Bay watershed. In May, the Forest Service released the draft forest plan and an associated environmental impact statement for the Forest. After the agency hears from the [...]

Roanoke: One of America’s Most Endangered Rivers

By Mary Rafferty on May 18, 2011 in Uranium Mining

Today the Roanoke River was included in American Rivers’ 26th annual list of the 10 most endangered waterways in America. American Rivers says lifting the ban on uranium mining would threaten the Roanoke River as well as drinking water supplies in the region with radioactive pollution and toxic chemicals.

Apply Now: Summer Internship Program

By Mary Rafferty on Jan 11, 2011 in Uncategorized

Sierra Club is looking for students with a passion for protecting the environment and the ambition to make a difference.