Protect Pactola: Gold Exploration Threatens Rapid City/Ellsworth AFB Water–Comments Due Feb. 5th

Public Comment to the Black Hills National Forest Service on F3’s Jenny Gulch Gold Exploration Project

F3 Gold has requested permission from the Forest Service to drill for gold at 42 locations in the Jenny Gulch area north of Silver City, which is directly upstream from Lake Pactola’s inlet.

Lake Pactola is a popular recreation area–and a reservoir in the Rapid Creek watershed, supplying water for Rapid City, Ellsworth AFB, and surrounding area.

This proposed gold exploration project is in the watershed for Rapid Creek, which supplies the water for Rapid City, Ellsworth Air Force Base, and surrounding areas. It threatens regional water supplies, as well as tourism and recreation opportunities.

EVERY COMMENT COUNTS!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE BLACK HILLS AREA.

Send in your public comments by Wednesday, February 5th, before 5:00 PM Mountain to the Black Hills National Forest Service on the proposed F3 Gold’s Jenny Gulch gold exploration project.

Email comments TODAY to comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-mystic@usda.gov.  Include in the subject “F3 Jenny Gulch Exploration.” Or mail/drop off comments to the Forest Service office at 8221 South Mt. Rushmore Rd., Rapid City, SD 57702.  Or, Fax to: 605-343-7134.

This comment period is part of the “scoping” process that begins the environmental review. At a MINIMUM, this project calls for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) rather than a simple Environmental Assessment

Some examples/ideas for comments:

  • This project is in a high impact area that could impact thousands of people. The Forest Service should do a full Environmental Impact Statement, not just a short Environmental Assessment.
  • If you use Rapid City water or a well by Rapid Creek, tell them you don’t want your water impacted.
  • Recreation activities could be impacted [and say which ones you do in the Pactola Lake and Rapid Creek area].
  • Exploration leads to mining, and the environmental review process should cover all potential impacts of the project.
  • The Forest Service did not start tribal consultation early enough. Tribal consultation should come first.
  • Cultural resources and access to them would be hindered.
  • We need healthy economic development and value our current tourism and agriculture, which would be negatively impacted by this project.
  • The area along Highway 385 and Pactola Lake is one of our most scenic areas, and gold exploration would not fit with this use.
  • People live in the immediate area where drilling could happen, and 24-hour noise and traffic would destroy their use of their property.
  • Add whatever is important to you.

Please use these ideas as a guide for you to write your own personalized comments. 

Take a few minutes now to send your comments!

Find related information and documents at www.bhcleanwateralliance.org

Comments submitted, including names and addresses of commenters, are public information. 

The scoping document can be found on the Black Hills National Forest Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/blackhills/landmanagement/projects