As a freshman at George Mason University in Fairfax, Samantha Parsons became involved in the campus’ Environmental Action Group because she’s always cared about the environment.

Delegate Don Merricks, a Republican from Pittsylvania County, said real estate agents are having trouble selling homes in Southside Virginia because prospective buyers are worried about legislative proposals to allow uranium mining there.

Calling his administration “a friend to the coal industry,” Gov. Bob McDonnell has reiterated his goal to make Virginia “the energy capital of the East Coast.” McDonnell made those remarks last week in delivering the keynote speech at the Eastern Coal Council’s annual legislative breakfast.

In remarks that raised some eyebrows in the audience, the nation’s top transportation official said this week that there is an “unlimited supply of oil” in parts of the world. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made that statement Wednesday at Virginia Commonwealth University at the end of a town hall meeting attended by about 75 students, staff and faculty members.

Gov. Bob McDonnell is asking the 2012 General Assembly to delay any action on lifting Virginia’s 30-year moratorium on mining uranium. He said legislators should keep the ban in place while a newly created group of officials from various state agencies studies the proposal to allow a company to mine and mill uranium in Southside Virginia.

Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, the new chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, predicts that uranium mining and hunting laws will be among the more controversial topics during this year’s General Assembly session.