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Office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, S.D. 57501
605-773-3212
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 6, 2014
CONTACT: Tony Venhuizen or Kelsey Pritchard at 605-773-3212
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS: Please consider the following column from Gov. Dennis Daugaard. For an audio recording of the Governor’s weekly column, visit http://news.sd.gov/player.aspx.
The Permitting Process For Uranium Mining
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:
The mining industry has been an integral part of the Black Hills for over a century. Many towns in the Black Hills were founded because of mining. While prominent mines such as the famous Homestake Gold Mine are no longer in operation, other companies continue to mine for gold, mica, iron ore and other minerals in the Black Hills.
Now, a company called Powertech is proposing to use in-situ mining to mine uranium in Fall River and Custer counties. The process has been used in other parts of the country but would be new to South Dakota.
In-situ mining involves drilling lined wells into the geologic formation that contains the uranium. Water enriched with oxygen and carbon dioxide is pumped into the wells to dissolve the uranium. Other wells nearby are pumped to bring the dissolved uranium to the surface, where it is removed. The water is then enriched with oxygen and carbon dioxide again and the cycle continues until the uranium is removed.
There are many important questions about the proposed mine from Powertech. Would the mine be safe for the environment? Would it be safe for people in the area? Is this the best use of water resources? Is there any danger from exposure to uranium?
Two federal agencies, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regulate this type of mining. The NRC conducts an environmental review and issues an operating license for the project. The EPA issues permits to allow the injection of the water and other mining wastes into the ground.
The state of South Dakota also regulates uranium mining. A company must receive a large-scale mining permit, a water right permit and a ground water discharge plan from state boards.
Last fall, two different state boards began hearings to consider the Powertech proposal. After many days of testimony, the boards decided to put this matter on hold, awaiting determinations by the federal NRC and EPA. They decided to postpone time-consuming state hearings until first we know if Powertech can obtain the necessary federal permits. At this point, state hearings are not expected to begin again until next year.
In April, the NRC issued an operating license to Powertech, stating there are “no environmental impacts that would preclude licensing the facility.” Following that decision, the Oglala Sioux Tribe raised concerns about the project’s impact on cultural and historic sites. The tribe’s request for a temporary stay was rejected, but the NRC plans to hold a hearing in South Dakota this year to consider these and other concerns.
The EPA is considering Powertech’s applications for the injection well permits, but has not released a definite schedule for issuing those permits or for holding any hearings in South Dakota.
These federal and state hearings are fact-intensive undertakings, in which board members and regulators consider thousands of pages of evidence, as well as testimony from experts and from concerned citizens. You can read federal and state permit files, or hear audio from last fall’s hearings, at http://denr.sd.gov/Powertech.aspx.
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.
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