In the 1980s, uranium leases were filed on thousands of acres of land in Virginia including Fauquier, Orange, Culpeper, and Madison Counties, stretching along the Piedmont to Pittsylvania in Southside Virginia. At that time, the Commonwealth undertook an extensive study of uranium mining. It was costly, time consuming, and divisive. When it was over, the General Assembly and Governor decided it was in the best interests of the people to maintain a moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia.

A new corporation, Virginia Uranium, Inc., is seeking to lift the moratorium. During the 2008 Virginia General Assembly session, legislation (SB 525) was introduced on behalf of Virginia Uranium, Inc. to create a study on the safety of uranium mining in Virginia. The bill had some good points including the requirement for a determination of "whether it is feasible to mine and process uranium in Virginia, in a manner that fully protects public health, the environment, natural resources, including but not limited to surface waters, groundwater, air quality, fish and wildlife, agriculture and historic resources." However, the bill had numerous flaws and was properly killed in the House Rules Committee.

Although the primary focus on the uranium debate has been on the Coles Hill site in Pittsylvania County, most of Virginia's population would be impacted by uranium mining, especially areas downstream or downwind of mining sites.

Next Section: Read about the mining and milling process.