THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD RULES AGAINST OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE AND IT’S CULTURAL RESOURCES

PRESS ADVISORY (12/12/2019)

WHAT: Public Presence in Support of Protecting Black Hills Water

WHEN:  Friday, December 13, 2019.  4:30 – 6 PM

WHERE: Corner of 5^th and Omaha Streets, Rapid City

WHO:  The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, Dakota Rural Action, and other advocates for clean water and indigenous rights in the Black Hills

CONTACT:  Dr. Lilias Jarding, 605-787-2872

Advocates for indigenous rights and for clean water in western South Dakota will gather on Friday, 12/13, at 4:30 PM, at the above indicated location.  They will hold lighted placards communicating their messages to passers-by.

Participants will raise public awareness about the decision of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board’s [ASLB] decision that an authentic, culturally-appropriate survey of a proposed uranium mine in Custer and Fall River Counties is not necessary.  The parties in the case include the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Powertech Uranium (Azarga), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff.

Powertech proposes to mine uranium at a site called Dewey-Burdock in the southwest Black Hills.  The Oglala Sioux Tribe asserts that such mining should not be contemplated without a thorough search for tribal cultural sites, and then a subsequent protection of those areas. 

The ASLB held hearings in Rapid City in August of this year to consider the Tribe’s claims.   The decision to deny the tribes’ rights to protection of their heritage and culture was announced Thursday, December 12.  It is anticipated that the ruling will be appealed.

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ASLB Rules Against Oglala Sioux Tribe

ALERT RECEIVED ON 12/12/2019 – The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB), an administrative law branch of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), ruled today in a case involving the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine in the southwest Black Hills. The ASLB ruled for Powertech Uranium and the NRC staff and against the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which has fought long and hard to protect cultural resources at the proposed mine site.

This could leave important cultural resources unprotected, if the uranium company was to receive the 10 permits it would need to begin its project. Currently, the NRC license is the only permit the company has, and this decision is likely to be appealed. So the company is now a long way from being able to begin mining. But this does mean we must redouble our efforts to stop this mine. If you have not talked to the people and organizations around you about this issue in awhile, please do now. Let them know that every voice counts in protecting the water and opposing uranium mining in the Black Hills.