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DUE APRIL 10, 2023 – Public Comments on F3 Gold’s Newark Exploration Drilling Project in the Hell Canyon Ranger District

Here are some things you can say. Use your own words! Add as much other information as you want:

• Say who you are and why you care about the area.
• Write about any special characteristics of the area that you are aware of. What would we lose if this area is partially cleared, driven over, and drilled – and maybe turned into a gold mine?
• Say that a categorical exclusion is not appropriate for this project. Ask for an “Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).”
• Talk about impacts on French Creek drainage, Custer, Custer State Park, and our tourism and outdoor recreation economy.
• Tell the Forest Service to respect Lakota treaty rights and to do a complete, and meaningful, tribal consultation.
• This project would only be the beginning – the company will want to keep exploring after this proposed project is over. All potential future drilling should be described and assessed now, before this project is considered.
• Attach any documents and/or photos to verify potential impacts to wildlife, endangered species, historical sites, etc.

IMPORTANT – The Forest Service wants to give F3 Gold a “Categorical Exclusion” for their Newark Exploratory Drilling Project! YOUR COMMENT IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!  We need people to file TWO comments on this project within the next 28 days. We are now waiting for the Forest Service, who promised, an extension on this comment period.

A Categorical Exclusion would FAST TRACK this project, so comment on that first.

Please act immediately and Say NO to giving F3 Gold a Categorical Exclusion!

Call the Forest Service office at 605-673-9301 and ask for the District Ranger, Rob Hoelscher, or email Wendy Schuyler at Wendy.Schuyler@usda.gov. 

Say that the Newark Project isn’t appropriate for a Categorical Exclusion, and the Forest Service needs to do an Environmental Assessment — and why. 

Some reasons might include:

• this isn’t a small project — it could involve up to 390 drill holes, 
• the company can’t complete it in a year, 
• there may be cultural resources in the area that need to be protected,
• it’s upstream from a city (Custer) that relies on clean water for tourism (French Creek, which the project would impact, runs right through Custer),
• there are “extraordinary circumstances — and what they are,
• this is a “foot in the door” by the company, and they actually want a larger project, so there would be cumulative impacts that are currently not described (their project was originally larger), and/or
• the proposed project requires construction of more than 1/3 mile of road and clearing of more than one acre of ground.

We know that’s a lot, but these are all grounds for turning down a Categorical Exclusion. Use your own words, rather than repeating all these things in order.

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USFS/BLM Proposed Mineral Withdrawal for portions of the Pactola Reservoir-Rapid Creek Watershed.

Public Meeting –

Notice of Application for PROPOSED Withdrawal and Notification of Public Meeting, Pactola Reservoir-Rapid Creek Watershed; South Dakota

LET’S PACK THE ROOM ON APRIL 26TH!

The USFS and the BLM will hold a joint public meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 4-8 p.m., Mountain Time (MT), at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Conference Hall, 2111 N. LaCrosse Street, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701.

This is the rare time when you get to support the government in stopping mining in the Black Hills. Don’t miss this opportunity!

JOIN US ON APRIL 26!

Your Written Public Comment must be submitted to the Black Hills National Forest by June 20, 2023. 

Click here on How to Submit Your Comment

UPDATES FROM THE FOREST SERVICE

From: USDA Forest Service <forestservice@public.govdelivery.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 22, 2023 at 11:59 AM
Subject: Pactola Reservoir-Rapid Creek Watershed Withdrawal

PRESS RELEASE 4/12/23

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/21/2023-05659/notice-of-application-for-withdrawal-and-notification-of-public-meeting-pactola-reservoir-rapid

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT BEFORE JUNE 20th:

Use the online portal at

https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/​Public/​CommentInput?​project=​NP-3479. 

Written comments may be submitted [via USPS Mail] to Bryan Karchut, Black Hills National Forest, 1019 N. 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730.

Comments sent by email will not be accepted. This comment period will serve as the scoping period for the environmental analysis process.

Information regarding the proposed withdrawal will be available at the Black Hills National Forest, Forest Supervisor’s Office, 1019 N. 5th Street, Custer, South Dakota 57730 and at the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bryan Karchut, Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest, telephone (605) 515-9861, email: bryan.karchut@usda.gov, or you may contact the BLM office at the address noted earlier. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or Tele Braille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/21/2023-05659/notice-of-application-for-withdrawal-and-notification-of-public-meeting-pactola-reservoir-rapid

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Golden Crest Project – Public Comment due June 8th

NORTHERN HILLS RANGER DISTRICT announced the EA on Solitario Zinc’s Golden Crest Project:

Solitario Zinc, a Colorado company, has proposed their Golden Crest Exploration Drilling Project, located along the west side of Spearfish Canyon from well south of Cheyenne Crossing to north of Bridal Veil Falls. This project would disrupt recreation, wildlife, peace and quiet, public safety, and water quality – among other things.  The Northern Hills Ranger District (NHRD) issued a News Release on May 10th announcing the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Golden Crest Exploration Drilling Project. They are now seeking public comments.  Comments are due by June 8, 2023 11:59 PM MST

Please take a few minutes to share your concerns with the Forest Service. Pick two or three topics and explain why they are important to you. Here are some things you might want to say in your comments: – Why you are interested in this project. – Why you oppose this project [give your reasons]. – The Forest Service should do a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on this project, not just a short Environmental Assessment (EA). – All potential cumulative impacts of this project should be considered, including the possibility of mining in this area, the fact that Solitario Zinc has proposed a second project just to the south, the impacts of the nearby Wharf Mine, other existing gold drilling in the area, etc. – Tribal consultation on this project was inadequate, and the Forest Service is required to do full and complete meaningful tribal consultation. – The Draft EA indicates that a number of plans should be prepared, such as a fire safety plan, a hazardous materials plan, and an erosion control plan. These plans should be part of the EA. – This project would take place in a special area that feeds directly into Spearfish Canyon, a National Historic Byway. Environmental Justice is not considered in the Draft EA.

TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT TO THE FOREST SERVICE:

Click Here to Submit Online

Comments may also be submitted by mail at: USDA Forest Service, ATTN: Steve Kozel, 2014 N. Main St., Spearfish, SD 57783, or drop your comment off at the NHRD office at 2014 N. Main St, Spearfish, SD

For more information about this project or other mining issues happening in the Black Hills please visit our website at bhcleanwateralliance.org

Scoping comments were completed this this past Fall, 2022.

The review all the project documents go to https://usfs-public.app.box.com/v/PinyonPublic/folder/168455982501

In the meantime (and in addition to submitting your comment) Please sign our Petition “HANDS OFF SPEARFISH CANYON”

EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED. HELP PROTECT SPEARFISH CANYON!

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