Powertech Uranium asked the State of South Dakota’s Water Management Board (WMB) to give it three water permits for its proposed uranium mine in Custer and Fall River Counties.

In 2013, the hearings on the permits started, but were then stopped. At the time, Powertech said the hearings could restart when its federal permits had been lined up. The federal permits were issued, but are currently either suspended or under a lawsuit.

Nonetheless, Powertech has recently asked the WMB to re-start the hearing on the water permits. If the hearings were re-started, and then just one of the federal permits was struck down, the state would have wasted money and time on a useless hearing for a project that could never start.

Write the WMB and ask them NOT to re-start the hearing on Powertech’s water permits. You don’t need to be elaborate. Please do be respectful. Address your email to the Water Management Board, State of South Dakota. Send your email to Ron Duvall, who assists the Board, at DENRINTERNET@state.sd.us. Please include in the Subject Line: Ron Duvall – Re: Powertech.

Actually, there are two ACTIONS that you can do today to help PREVENT new uranium mining in the Black Hills.

First – Email the SD WMB asking them NOT to re-start the hearing on those State Water Permits to Powertech. Include in your email Subject Line: Ron Duvall – Re: Powertech.

Second – Sign and Share the Petition to the EPA regarding federal water permits.