Exploratory drilling began this past week at the Rochford Mineral Exploration Project in the central Black Hills.  This is an effort to mine graphite at Pe’ Sla, which is a significant cultural and ceremonial landscape that has been used by indigenous people for many generations – and that is still used for those purposes. 

Last week, word began to spread of activity at Pe’ Sla, and drilling was confirmed to be underway at Drill Pad 8 in the northern part of the project area late last week.  The Rochford Exploration Project proposal is for 18 drill pads that involve drilling for as much as 1000 feet, almost a mile of new road, and two staging/storage areas.  The project is predicted to last at least three years.

Pe’ Sla is in the Rapid Creek watershed, which supplies water to Rapid City, Ellsworth Air Force Base, and communities downstream along the Cheyenne River.  Pe’ Sla is a unique landscape ecologically and geographically.  It is a type of high elevation meadow that is only found in the Black Hills of South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming and that is surrounded by pine forests.

In June 2024, Pete Lien & Sons applied for permission to drill from the Mystic Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest, which is based on Rapid City, SD.  According to federal government records, the Lien company was acquired by a larger company in 2019 – and apparently by an even larger company in 2025.  By all indications, Pete Lien & Sons is now a small subsidiary of an international company – not the local, family company it still advertises itself as.  So the drilling project at Pe’ Sla is likely to be considered a small project in a distant place for the executives who are making decisions about activities that could degrade a sacred landscape and Black Hills water – but enrich their stockholders.

The Forest Service issued a scoping notice in April 2025, which started its review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and a 30-day public comment period.  An additional week was eventually tacked onto the review process, but it was still extremely short for such an important project.  The outcome of the process, however, was not small.  Over 2200 people filed public comments with the Forest Service.  Almost all of these comments opposed graphite drilling.

Nonetheless, the Forest Service issued a decision at the end of February 2026 that allowed drilling to go forward under what is called a categorical exclusion.  A categorical exclusion is designed to allow small, short-term projects start without further environmental review under a limited set of circumstances.  Among other things, a categorical exclusion cannot – by Forest Service regulations – be given to a project that could impact a municipal watershed or areas of cultural or spiritual importance.  Also, it cannot be used for a project that would last longer than a year.  So for these obvious reasons, the Rochford project was not appropriate for a categorical exclusion.

Legal action followed.  For more information on that, see Lawsuit Filed to Stop Graphite Project at Pe’ Sla.  But the drilling has gone ahead, with active Forest Service support.  Please take a few minutes to call the Mystic District Office of Black Hills National Forest at 605-343-1567 and the Forest Supervisor of Black Hills National Forest at 605-673-9200.  Demand that the drilling be shut down and that sacred landscapes and our water supplies be respected.  Tell your friends and family what is going on.  And watch for updates.  It is up to all of us to protect our water and the Black Hills from mining activity.