Update 1/19/24 – Call to Action!
This Weekend is Critical to Say ‘NO’ to HB1071
House Bill 1071 passed through the SD House of Representatives on Thursday and is headed for the SD Senate. It would encourage nuclear activities in South Dakota — uranium mining, milling, and waste disposal.
And the bill’s sponsors are pushing hard for nuclear power plants in the state.
We need to PUSH HARD to stop this bill and protect our water, human health, air, and land! Its next stop is the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee, but each person needs to reach out to as many state Senators as they can THIS WEEKEND!
Here are some points to make. Don’t just copy these ideas. Use your own words:
- We do NOT want any type of nuclear activity in South Dakota — no uranium mining, no radioactive wastes, no nuclear power plants.
- This bill would not do what the bill’s sponsors say it would do — it would NOT change who regulates nuclear power plants in SD. It COULD open the door to more uranium mining in the Black Hills.
- All parts of the nuclear chain, from uranium mining to nuclear waste, pollute water and threaten human health.
- Nuclear power is not carbon-free. Uranium mining and enrichment, power plant construction and decommissioning, transport, and waste disposal can all use fossil fuels.
The list of Senators, their phone numbers, and their email addresses
are found here (right column only):
2024 Legislators | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov)
We need some people to start contacting Senators from the top of
the list, some from the bottom of the list, and some from the middle,
so all Senators get a number of emails.
You can read HB 1071 here:
2024 House Bill 1071 | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov)
PLEASE SPREAD THIS INFORMATION TO YOUR
FRIENDS AND OTHER LISTS IMMEDIATELY.
This may be voted on in the committee as soon as Tuesday morning.
THANKS!
Update 1/13/24 – Call to Action!
2024 Legislature ACTIONS!
IMMEDIATE ACTION. House Bill 1071 in the SD State Legislature would give one person — the Governor — the power to make it easier and less safe to mine and mill uranium in South Dakota. Our research indicates that this bill, contrary to earlier information, is likely not about nuclear power plants.
HB 1071 would let the Governor make agreements with the federal government to extend state authority over uranium mining and milling. An agreement under this bill would eliminate the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for uranium mining and milling. This would shut tribal governments out of the permitting process by eliminating requirements for tribal consultation. The public’s ability to oppose uranium projects would also shrink.
There will be a hearing on this bill early on Wednesday, the 17th.
Committee Agenda https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/Documents/259540.pdf#page=1
All lobbyists and interested parties are encouraged to sumit pre-recorded testimony, requests for online testimony, comments, and any accompanying materials to HouseStateAffairs@SDlegislature.gov. To receive the meeting zoom link, send a request to the email provide 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
Contact the members of the House State Affairs Committee THIS WEEKEND and tell them that you oppose House Bill 1071. Use your own words. Some points you might make include:
- It cost Wyoming at least $1.4 million to take over regulating uranium mining and milling. With recent inflation, it would cost more. Taxpayers should not be stuck with this expense.
- This bill would take power from the Legislature.
- Uranium mining and milling have contaminated water in the state already. We should not encourage more contamination.
- This type of agreement shuts out tribal governments and much of the public.
- The State proved unable to regulate a gold mine in the past, and authority was returned to the federal government. Regulating uranium is more complicated because of the high radioactivity.
Send your comments to members of the House State Affairs Committee at the following:
Hugh.Bartels@sdlegislature.gov ,Rocky.Blare@sdlegislature.gov ,Gary.Cammack@sdlegislature.gov, Kirk.Chaffee@sdlegislature.gov ,Roger.Chase@sdlegislature.gov, Becky.Drury@sdlegislature.gov, Jon.Hansen@sdlegislature.gov ,Erin.Healy@sdlegislature.gov ,Oren.Lesmeister@sdlegislature.gov ,Will.Mortenson@sdlegislature.gov ,Taylor.Rehfeldt@sdlegislature.gov ,Rebecca.Reimer@sdlegislature.gov ,James.Wangsness@sdlegislature.gov
A copy of the bill can be found at 2024 House Bill 1071 | South Dakota Legislature (sdlegislature.gov) If you want to go to Pierre to the hearing on Wednesday, contact edbhcwa@gmail.com. We will be carpooling.
ACT NOW!
- There is no public comment date for this alert: DTRC LLC Notice of Filing for Gold Exploration Two miles northwest of Lead, SD Public Notice
The State of South Dakota Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources publish public comment notices at https://danr.sd.gov/public/default.aspx
If you know of any DANR public comment notices regarding mining in the Black Hills please contact us HERE.
Other State resources:
Interactive GIS maps https://danr.sd.gov/Press/DataAndMapping.aspx
Black Hills Clean Water Alliance 