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Rapid City Opposes Powertech Uranium Mine

Opponents of the Powertech in situ uranium mine in the southern Black Hills have found another big ally in their fight to protect our water and natural beauty. Our friends at Dakota Rural Action report that the Rapid City City Council (remind me not when I name a city not to include the word "City" in the name) voted unanimously Monday to draft a resolution expressing the city's official concerns about the harm this uranium mine could do to the Black Hills:

Council members described the mine “as a risk to our water is not acceptable” and Alderwoman Charity Doyle stated that 72-percent of the State’s tourism dollars are generated in the Black Hills. Alderwoman Doyle also said, through her research, that she hasn’t found one case of in-situ leach mining being done safely. Alderman Brad Estes noted how contamination of water would surely dampen tourists enthusiasm to visit Western South Dakota.

Mayor Kooiker guided the council members, saying that a resolution carries a lot more weight if passed with unanimous support. The resolution will go before the Public Works Committee next week.

“We remain very grateful to Mayor Kooiker and the Rapid City Council for standing with its citizens on this very important issue,” stated Clay Uptain, the Black Hills Chapter’s chairperson [Dakota Rural Action, press release, 2013.08.07].

Dakota Rural Action and Rapid City on the same side? See, I told you DRA is fighting for your liberty. And with so many liberty-minded Black Hills officials starting to agree with Dakota Rural Action that in situ uranium mining isn't good for the Black Hills, it's no wonder Powertech has to seek investors from China and elsewhere who don't get the local paper.

Powertech open for foreign investment: Editorial cartoon by Cheryl Rowe.
Editorial cartoon by Cheryl Rowe

2 Comments

  1. Douglas Wiken 2013.08.09

    Uranium is the wrong road. Get with Thorium.

  2. Curtis Price 2013.08.11

    We call it the "Rapid City Council" -- there's got to be a style guide out there that covers this.

    The plants can be made safer, but we haven't made much progress on the environmental mess both on the extraction AND the disposal end of this business.

    Mayor Kooiker said in the RCJ today that having concerns shouldn't label you as a "wild-eyed tree-hugger". Not wanting dilbit in the Cheyenne River shouldn't either.

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