Few folks realize that Goliad County Commissioner Ted Long’s water well is the closest of all to the proposed uranium mine in Goliad County, lying only around 800 feet away.  One can only imagine waking up every morning, making a pot of coffee and wondering how much longer the water will be safe to drink, if it’s even safe today.

Commissioner Long is in a precarious position.  His primary responsibility is to represent his precinct, but what about his personal feelings?  Does he have questions?  You bet he does.

You see, some of the land owners in his precinct have leased their property for uranium exploration and mining without having all the facts.  It is those facts that he seeks.

Some Goliad County land owners, two of which live miles away in Kenedy and Runge, have expressed their disapproval of the Goliad County Commissioners Court’s decision to spend $150,000 of the taxpayers’ money on legal fees regarding uranium mining in Goliad County, with more budgeted for the future.  Well, folks, Kleberg County has already spent over a million.  They didn’t litigate until late in the game after the damage had been irreversibly done.  Goliad County officials do not want to find themselves in the same position.

If the price of uranium continues to plummet, making uranium mining infeasible or unprofitable, then this situation will resolve itself.  Hopefully, if this occurs, they will not have commenced mining and then leave overnight as they did in the 70’s.  Today’s spot price for uranium is $64.50 per pound, down from $138(?) about a year ago. 

Uranium bottomed out at $7 per pound in the 70’s, causing uranium mining companies to file bankruptcy after which they simply walked away.  No cleanup…no restoration…no remediation…they simply walked away leaving horrible radioactive mess after mess without any obligation to clean it up.  So, who's still cleaning it up for them?...the TAXPAYER!

Is Commissioner Long concerned?  Wouldn’t you be?  Hats off to you, Commissioner Ted Long, and hopefully the resolution which you seek is in the near future.