Water Threatened by New Bill in Legislature – Contact Legislators NOW!

The Legislature is in session, and anything can happen.  Last year, they voted to look into bringing nuclear power plants to the state.  This year, we have House Bill 1071, which was just introduced by Rep. Mike Weisgram of Fort Pierre.  Your immediate, strong action is needed to stop this bill!  

The bill authorizes the Governor to enter into agreements with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the federal agency that regulates radioactive materials and projects — from uranium mining to nuclear power plants to nuclear waste.  In the agreements, the STATE government would assume the authority currently held by the NRC for radioactive facilities and activities.  This would encourage nuclear projects and threaten water across the state.

Text of the bill is here — 

2024 House Bill 1071 | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov)

If SD signs an agreement with the NRC to run radioactive programs in SD, we would become what is known as an Agreement State. Companies would apply to the State to build uranium mines or nuclear power plants or nuclear waste dumps, and the State would be in charge of making sure nothing went wrong — including keeping nuclear materials secure.  The federal government role would just be to watch what SD did and intervene if it got really bad (after radioactive problems were present, in other words).

Becoming an Agreement State cost Wyoming several years and millions of dollars.  South Dakota would have to find and hire the right talent to regulate large radioactive projects — which isn’t easy or cheap — write new laws and regulations, etc.  In other words, taxpayers would pay.  Areas with more water, like the Black Hills and the Missouri River, would be targeted for nuclear projects in the state.

Contact the members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee and your district’s representatives OVER THIS WEEKEND and let them know you strongly oppose HB 1071!  This early action is critical!!  Find your district’s representatives here — Find My Legislators | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov)  Find the members of the House at 2024 House State Affairs | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov)  You can click on each name to get their email and phone information.

Take Action Now to Stop HB 1071!