Delayed Water Board hearing for Rapid City uranium mine plan

Water board delays Rapid City uranium mine hearing http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Water-board-delays-Rapid-City-uranium-mine-hearing-5010884.php,November 25, 2013 PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A second state panel has delayed hearings on a proposed uranium mine in the Black Hills until two federal agencies decide on the project.

The South Dakota Water Management Board on Monday postponed its second week of hearings scheduled for the week of Dec. 9 in Rapid City.

The Board of Minerals and Environment earlier delayed its second round of hearings on Powertech Uranium Corp.’s application for a mine near Edgemont.

Both state boards say they’ll reschedule after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency rule on the project and establish financial surety. The Water Management Board says the delay was in response to a request from Powertech and other parties.  The panel must decide whether to grant water rights permits and a groundwater discharge plan.

City Council in South Dakota swamped by opponents of uranium mining

Water is precious thing, a gift of life,” said Mark Kammerer, an area rancher who opposes the operation. “I hope you go ahead and come up with a good resolution denying Powertech the use of this water. You have that responsibility to my kids, your kids and kids not yet born. Water is the gift of life. Without it, all life dies.”

Uranium mining opponents swarm council committee Rapid City Journal,   •  John Lee McLaughlin Journal staff, 15 Aug 13, After learning that the mayor and three city council members met privately with Powertech representatives, opponents of a proposed uranium mine packed Rapid City’s council chambers on Wednesday to find out where the city stands on the matter.

Despite nearly an hour of testimony, the Legal and Finance Committee declined to take a stand on a resolution opposing the project near Edgemont that needs state and federal approval. The resolution will now be considered Monday night by the Rapid City Council…… opponents to Powertech’s proposed Dewey Burdock mining project were concerned the meeting may have watered down the council’s original opposition, which was discussed at a meeting where council members say they wanted assurance the proposed project wouldn’t hurt the local water supply……

Project opponents voiced concern over the mine’s potential impacts on regional water quality and contamination from heavy metals and radioactive material that they said would pose a risk for 4.4 billion years, which is the half-life of uranium.

If a state water permit is granted, the mine would take water from the Inyan Kara and Madison aquifers at a rate of around 9,000 gallons per minute. Most of the water would come from the Inyan Kara Aquifer, which has lower quality water.

“Water is precious thing, a gift of life,” said Mark Kammerer, an area rancher who opposes the operation. “I hope you go ahead and come up with a good resolution denying Powertech the use of this water. You have that responsibility to my kids, your kids and kids not yet born. Water is the gift of life. Without it, all life dies.”

Opponents also feared that once Powertech gets approval, it would invite other mines to come to the Black Hills. They charged that no mining operation has surfaced without leaks or spills and that Powertech representatives have no “skin in the game.”

Opponents said that Powertech representatives have also had an unwelcome hand in removing South Dakota’s regulatory oversight of the mine……. http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/uranium-mining-opponents-swarm-council-committee/article_e3057078-786f-5ff6-9ad2-cb50e4f5e5b2.html

runswithhorses -comments – How proud we are of our Rapid City Council and the residents of Rapid City to realize that uranium mining is not what we want to be known for in our area. We want to retain our real estate prices, our wonderful, healthy place to raise our kids. Good economic development doesn’t happen in devastated areas and superfund sites. Nor will tourists come and bring their families. Other towns in the Black Hills need to sit up, take notice and follow good leadership we are seeing in our RC Council. Water is more precious than gold or uranium.

Uranium mining for South Dakota very financially risky

We are being asked to take a huge risk with our water and environment with a company of very dubious financial stability

This market has fallen to about $40 per pound and may go lower

 We should not take this risk.

Uranium mine too great a risk for South Dakotahttp://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/76549/group/homepage/Powertech (USA), Inc., a Canadian company with just 10 employees owned by a stock market hedge fund, is planning a massive uranium mining operation near Edgemont. By: Susan Henderson , 22 Feb 13, Powertech (USA), Inc., a Canadian company with just 10 employees owned by a stock market hedge fund, is planning a massive uranium mining operation near Edgemont. Last year, according to their unaudited financial report, they lost about $1.6 million. The top four officers are paid about $818,000. Powertech borrowed $7.5 million in exchange for stock from a unit of GDF Suez, a huge global utility whose stock went down 27 percent in the last year (see Financial Times, January 2013.) This move diluted the already troubled stock. About five years ago the Powertech stock was selling for $5.43 per share; currently it is about $0.12. Thus, stockholders who bought 100,000 shares for $543,000 now have an investment worth $12,000 — a huge loss. Powerful people in South Dakota, including legislators, government officials and local investors may have lost thousands. Understandably they want their money back.

 Powertech is in no position to promise South Dakota anything. After the various mining permits are granted they could sell the company. Our huge and valuable water permit can be sold also.

We are being asked to take a huge risk with our water and environment with a company of very dubious financial stability. Powertech has never managed any kind of uranium mine.

The uranium product “yellowcake” will be sold internationally, principally to China and India. This market has fallen to about $40 per pound and may go lower. France and Germany have decided to phase out nuclear power plants and China has recently announced it plans to greatly expand its use of solar and wind power. The Fukushima disaster has greatly affected this market.

“Yellowcake,” after refining, can be used to make nuclear weapons. Sales require an export license, which could be revoked at any time by our government if we became alarmed about its potential use in weapons. This would immediately cause huge financial strain on the Powertech operation.

Of the mineral leases in the Dewey-Burdock mine area of 10,500 acres, 37 percent are owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). No South Dakota sales taxes (4.5 percent, of which the state gets half) would be collected on yellowcake from these leases. The local tax revenue (2.25 percent) split between Custer and Fall River Counties might not even be enough to cover the damage to our local roads.

The North Dakota Bakken oil boom has not resulted in large-scale home purchasing by workers who do not want to be stuck with a local home once the boom is over. Uranium mining is not a long-term proposition and will likely play out the same way. I question the jobs and financial gain projections Powertech is making.

We should not take this risk.

EPA exempts uranium miners from bans on deep injection of radioactive wastes

Environmental groups say the EPA should not be letting mining companies write their own rules.

Similar disputes are erupting across the country.

“This is a health issue as much as a water supply issue,”

A Decades-Old Deal With Uranium Miners Is Causing Trouble For The EPA Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica | Dec. 26, 2012, GILLETTE, Wyo.“…….The problems and pressures the EPA is facing at Christensen Ranch are not unique.

With uranium mining booming, the agency has received a mounting number of requests for aquifer exemptions in recent years. So far, EPA records show, the agency has issued at least 40 exemptions for uranium mines across the country and is considering several more. Two mines are expanding operations near Christensen Ranch.

In several cases, the EPA has struggled to balance imposing water protections with accommodating the industry’s needs.

Threat to water from “in situ” uranium mining

“in-situ” technology, whereby treated water is pumped underground to dissolve uranium deposits. The water is then pumped to the surface, the uranium extracted and the water returned underground.
Opponents of the mine operation say the system threatens groundwater quality over vast areas around the mine

Powertech sues over water rules; residents want mining company to be accountable By Tom HackerLoveland Reporter-Herald, 11/12/2010

Powertech Uranium wants to be able to pollute water – legally

Powertech Uranium Corp sues Colorado over northwestern Weld County site | Greeley Tribune, 14 Nov 10, A Canadian company seeking to mine uranium in northwestern Weld County has filed suit against the state of Colorado, claiming that recently adopted rules for keeping groundwater clean are unreasonable.

In-situ uranium mining hazards for Colorado

Hope won’t protect us from Powertech’s in situ uranium mining near Nunn
coloradean.com Sue Ramsay, September 22, 2009 “………. the documented facts of the history of contamination from in situ leach uranium mining such as that proposed by Powertech Uranium Corp. in Weld County.