Trembling before Susan Wismer's whelming victory in Tuesday's Democratic gubernatorial primary, Governor Dennis Daugaard has decided to adopt her agnosticism on uranium mining in the Black Hills and put it in a prom dress:
If you feel strongly about Powertech, I hope you’ll consider attending future hearings. They are a good way to learn more about the proposal.
I am occasionally asked if I “support” or “oppose” this project. This question misunderstands that our state and nation have very sound, comprehensive processes to consider proposals like this one. Through these processes the merits and impacts of the project must be evaluated. Under this system I am confident the important questions will be discussed and addressed, and the right decision will be reached [Gov. Dennis Daugaard, "The Permitting Process for Uranium Mining," Prairie Business, 2014.06.06].
In other words, if you care about uranium mining in the Black Hills, the major party candidates for governor plan to leave you in the dark. Neither Governor Daugaard nor candidate Wismer will deign to tell us where they really stand on Powertech and in situ leach mining.
Independent candidate Mike Myers, can we get you on the record on uranium mining?
I noted a few days ago (http://theconstantcommoner.blogspot.com/2014/05/memo-to-mike-rounds-and-other-aca.html) that fence-sitting insurance companies are now signing up, big time, to get into the exchanges set up by ACA, Wellmark--SD's Blue Cross Blue Shield provider--among them. The market has spoken. ACA is here to stay. Thar's money in them there ills!
Sorry, meant for the ACA thread below.
DD is a wingnut. If there is money to be made and a good chance to wreck the environment and an even better chance that taxpayers foot the bill for clean-up-Daugaard is all for it,just not on the record. That is wingnut philosophy in a nutshell,which is where you find wingnuts.
For the record, Mike Myers is against uranium mining. He is also opposed to the KeystoneXL pipeline.
If Governor Daugaard and the South Dakota legislature have appropriated the money to fund a study by the School of Mines to determine if the Pierre Shale would be a good place to store radioactive waste; then I have a pretty good idea of where Daugaard stands on the Powertech permits.
likely well said paul. sounds like dd's quote of confidence for a "'right' decision" is directed to SDWNR Board chair he appointed, Rex Hagg, if i am correct. 1. Who is PowerTech? 2. Attending hearings isn't going to help a strongly concerned public without lawyers, and in light of abandoned state process which has undermined public confidence. 3. What is the condition now of the northern hills and streams from gold miners who left without adequate reclamation, as well as the 100 some existing unreclaimed SD uranium mines ?
to Governor Duagaard-What?????????
Oh myers is against uranium AND oil? So he thinks we should all be Amish? Good idea. The Journal of Extension published a study of labor/acre for Amish farms: 17 hours of labor/acre of corn, compared to 3.6 hours of labor/acre for non-Amish farms.
Not hard to imagine what a return to 19th century farming would do to the cost and supply of food. Energy policy is everything.
When I read the Governor's statement, I felt like a slithering snake...slowly but surely sliding around the issue.
Susan Wismer said she is for nuclear energy. Doesn't that take uranium?
Anne Beal
When American farmers plant uranium and oil does it become an agricultural product?
my mistake, it is the minerals board rex chaired at the powertech hearing but google and sd.gov fail to list or identify members, chair, vice chair ect. for some reason.
Based on Daugaards statement, sounds like he supports it, just not going to commit until after the election. In a way he has already committed, when he signed the bill to give up state control to the feds that the right wing single party legislature sent him.
From Revelation 3:
…15'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,…
http://www.argusleader.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/06/07/letter-uranium-mine-affect-west-river/10109709/
“'Uranium has poisoned the lives of too many communities for too long, and the only way to stop it is to start taking removal and cleanup seriously,” said Rep. Grijalva. “Congress has to stop sweeping this under the rug. We know we need better funding, better outreach and more local-federal coordination. I’m glad the Government Accountability Office has shown us a way forward, and I’m glad to hear the EPA is willing to follow its important recommendations. Now we need congressional Republicans to put public health and environmental quality on their list of things worth working on.'”
http://www.dineresourcesandinfocenter.org/meeting-on-proposed-uri-in-situ-uranium-mining-demonstration-project-may-28-2014-at-church-rock-n-m/
South Dakota's governor Dennis Daugaard says he's a conservative; yet, he has begged for billions from the Obama administration. His predecessor's office where he was lieutenant governor and his current bureaucracy have trafficked Native kids, exploited the federal EB-5 green card scam, and is quietly expanding a Medicaid safety net for those not yet voting for his party. Candidate Dennis Daugaard drew gasps from a State Fair audience in 2010 when he said: “I am skeptical about the science that suggests global warming is man-caused or can be corrected by man-made efforts."
Meanwhile, in South Dakota, infrastructure is crumbling and 20.6% of bridges are structurally deficient. Over the Missouri River, the US14 bridge between Ft. Pierre and the town to the east and the I-90 bridge at Chamberlain are imperiled.
As political considerations trump the needs of their populations, governors in red states continue to lead voters over the climate cliff and to deny affordable access to medical care.
I have not had my coffee yet, so I will probably be less charitable than I ought, but gobbledygook supported by an either/or logical fallacy gets me a more than a little upset.
Either mine uranium or live like the Amish? Those are the only two choices? If energy policy is everything, the discussion around it should be conducted with a little more logic
We can't give wind and solar the same level of tax breaks and incentives we've given oil?
We can't look to increased conservation?
We can't look to electric vehicles for most of the county? I'll grant they might be problematic in rural areas, but most people don't live in rural areas
We can't look to high speed rail and join the rest of the world by having a choice between flying and an a bus?
We can't look at propane for vehicles which at least would have fewer emissions?
Realistically, we aren't getting rid of petroleum based or nuclear energy but we should be able to get to the point that first choice does not involve mining and drilling.
When God told humans to forth and subdue the Earth, he didn't say anything about raping it until it bleeds
Montana's Dems have voted not to add Anthropogenic climate change to its platform: whither South Dakota?
http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_a87f526e-ede4-11e3-9ed9-0019bb2963f4.html
Larry, all it takes is a little research, in red state after red state it is the same story. The thing I find amazing, the people that live in red states, SD included, keep electing the same people. When will it ever end?
Kal, raping the planet until it bleeds in the name of profit is standard republican policy, and will be what kills our offspring. They will not subsidise renewables because they will become what people prefer, cutting into profit. This is the exact same reason they are fired up about Obama's new coal requirements, they don't give a damn about jobs or the air we breath, it's all about profit.
Tara, we duly note your statement of Myers's positions against Powertech and Keystone XL. Please thank him for taking those clear positions, and tell him that voters may thank him for stating and maintaining those clear positions.
Kal Lis provides a good laundry list of what we should be doing. More than a few economists find such ideas as better economic stimulants than any of the GOP mythology and corporate flack our SD media feeds us.
All houses and habitable structures should now be built to be essentially energy neutral. Even many simple things can have a significant impact. Just not putting windows on the north side of buildings can help. A few hundred dollars of insulation can save thousands and reduce energy consumption.
Highspeed light rail should replace all domestic commercial air transportation. Much of it could be powered with solar cells.
Thorium power generation should be the only nuclear facilites constructed. Etc. etc. etc. There is no shortage of ideas that are better than drill, baby, drill.
We have too many politicians who engage in conduct unbecoming a human being.
You're welcome Cory. Feel free to ask Mike Myers his position on any of the issues that concern you. You might not always agree with him, but at least you will know where he stands. Thanks.
Gubernatorial candidate Susan Wismer has an extremely poor record on voting Dem issues. Example: labor, environment. Those are two biggies usually. It appears people turned a blind eye to those and instead chose a woman for governor who votes Republican.
Shirley, knock it off or you become my enemy: k?
Telling the truth isn't appreciated? What happened to Freedom of Speech, Larry?
Shirley, Joe Lowe was my 1st choice but he lost by 10 percentage points. Susan Wismer is the SD Democratic Party nominee so what would you suggest? Those issues you brought up are to be raised at the state convention or contact Susan or her campaign? Vote for another candidate?
Susan Wismer better be listening to what people are saying or she will become disconnected from the very people who can help her get elected.
Representative Wismer has the support of the national party and is playing to win: please join me and send her the maximum amount allowed: $4000.
This maybe a bit off topic, but is somewhat relevant. Rick Weiland's appearance on the MSNBC's The Ed Show was powerful enough to intimidate Powers over on the Rounds blog.
Rick, in no uncertain terms laid out his opposition to Keystone XL using logic and facts. No jobs, no oil for South Dakota, and the damage to our land.
I don't recall him being asked about uranium, but I'm certain he would have been forthright in his opposition to it.
If Susan Wismer remains lukewarm on both Keystone and Powertech it will be difficult for me to support her.
This is war, Democrats:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/10/24/11603/south-dakota-campaign-funds-move-sideways
You are correct Roger C. To me, if you remain unsure of either Keystone XL or Powertech, you lost my support and my vote. I don't care who you are, those issues are deal breakers for me.
Rep. Wismer: please consider talking about a ban on lifetime lobbyists like Jeremiah Murphy and Harry Christiansen.
Jerry those issues are deal breakers for me too. We need to find out where she stands and be clear about it.
Jerry and Lynn,
Susan had better be listening, I'm one of those that handed Noem to South Dakota because Herseth Sandlin pissed me off over Obamacare.
thx larry for publicintegrity.org article.
what are specifics on jere and harre the lobbyists?