Update 12/10/19: the government portal has RE-OPENED.
New Due date for public comment is Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. The post below has been updated to reflect that new deadline.
Update 12/9/19: as of the morning of Nov. 9th, the government portal for public comment is experiencing technical difficulties. There will be an extended period for public comment which we will update as soon as we have a new date.
Deadline for EPA Public Comment is Dec. 11th–Don’t wait! Comment Today!
Powertech, a Canadian company now owned by Azarga Uranium, has never mined uranium, but they are trying to secure the necessary permits to do so in the southwest corner of our state.
Further, they are applying for permits to take BILLIONS of gallons of our public water–for free–over the course of a decade. And they want to pump contaminated wastewater INTO the aquifer. Water that people and livestock in our state depend on to live.
‘In situ’ leach uranium mining contaminates groundwater and surface water with radioactive materials and heavy metals – contamination that remains after mining ends, and that is dangerous to humans and livestock. Groundwater has never been returned to its original condition at any ‘in situ’ leach uranium mine in the United States.
No matter WHERE you live in South Dakota, the contamination of our public water supplies affects YOU.
No matter where you live in South Dakota, your comment is needed.
Deadline for public comment on the draft permits is Dec. 11th–DON’T WAIT!
Submit your comment today–even a sentence or two helps the EPA get the picture:
NO Toxic Uranium Mining in South Dakota! Not Now–Not Ever.
Submit Comments Here: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-R08-OW-2019-0512
Learn more about the issue from our friends at Black Hills Clean Water Alliance: https://bhcleanwateralliance.org/