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Thanks to the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance of South Dakota for bringing this event to my attention. The Clean Water Alliance continues to fight the Powertech Uranium Mining Company in South Dakota –> http://www.sdcleanwateralliance.org/
The “Final” Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) issued by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine is substantially deficient. The mine, proposed by Chinese/Canadian company Powertech Uranium, would use 9,000 gallons per minute of groundwater from Black Hills aquifers, contaminate area water, and open the door for eight other uranium companies that have an interest in the Black Hills.
A Blank Hills Clean Water Alliance Press Release warns that the NRC has put the cart before the horse – they have published a “Final” SEIS – and chosen a final alternative for project design – before they have completed the cultural resources analysis. This analysis is required by law to be completed before this document was issued. The SEIS notes that the analysis is “ongoing.” This relegates the cultural studies to afterthoughts, and necessarily limits NRC’s ability to protect these important resources.
The NRC is accepting public comment on the Final SEIS in the form of limited appearance statements. You can make your voice heard – click here to learn how.
Heads up, documentary film, Young Lakota to air on Independent Lens on November 25, 2013.
I am wondering how in-depth this documentary will delve into the ongoing issues facing young Lakota –especially young Lakota women. From the trailer it appears to address at some level the sexual violence endured by many Indigenous women. I’ve provided links to two very important documents created by Amnesty International. Depending on your awareness of the issues they may or may not prove to be very disturbing reading. I think they’re required reading for anyone entering into a serious discussion of violence, abortion, and sexual issues concerning Indigenous women–and all others as well.
As I could not get the video on the link via TT to work properly I ventured to the tubes of you for an alternative which is posted here. I’ve included the links cited on Turtle Talk as well.
Three young people living in the Pine Ridge Reservation try to forge a better future. When the first female President of Oglala Lakota defies a South Dakota law criminalizing abortion by vowing to build a women’s clinic in their sovereign territory, the three young tribe members are faced with difficult choices
10 .m. EST, Monday, Nov. 25, on PBS’s Independent Lens. The film chronicles Tribal President Cecelia Fire Thunder’s challenge to a proposed abortion ban in South Dakota, and the political awakening she inspires in Sunny Clifford, a young Lakota woman living on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Young Lakota was an Official Selection at the Big Sky Film Festival, the New Orleans Film Festival, the American Indian Film Festival, and won Best Documentary at Cine Las Americas and the Smithsonian Showcase.
***
Maze of Injustice: The Failure to Protect Indigenous Women from Sexual Violence in the USA. (Note: Depending on your PC the PDF file may load fast or slow, but it will load–or so we hope.) This is not reading for the faint of heart. Report by Amnesty International.
Stolen Sisters, Canada, A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada (Also not reading for the faint of heart.)
Yes, the Clean Water Alliance, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sandtuary and local musicians have teamed up once again to get the info out about the threat of Uranium Mining coming to the Black Hill region by –of course–a Canadian company, Powertech. Canada–what a place–it’s the home of the Tar Sands and birthplace of Idle No More. If you know the score it’s a chance to get refreshed. If you’re out of the intel loop, it’s time to get clued in. Because you too need water to live.
From Press Release:
“WE ARE THE LAND, Uranium Mining in the Black Hills” documentary video short by Christopher Crosby will be presented at IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WATER, a free concert on Saturday, Aug 31 2013 – Red Rock River Resort, 603 N. River Hot Springs, SD. 6:30pm – 9:30pm.
The free concert will feature local musical artists, Gardner Gray, Mike Linderman, Evan Christenson and others.
“We Are The Land, Uranium Mining in the Black Hills” was produced by Karla LaRive, Susan Watt and The Institute of Range and American Mustang in 2011 at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Hot Springs South Dakota.
News from Peaceful Uprising:
Note: the following content is entirely from Peaceful Uprising’s newsletter and site. All written content ought to be in blocked quotes-but “add new post” is not co-operating and insists on doing its own thing. Well, we work with what we’ve got. Solidarity.
MOCCASINS on the GROUND:
What Solidarity Looks Like!
Peaceful Uprising, among dozens of other grassroots groups, has been invited to the first Moccasins on the Ground to be held in Butte, Montana: another frontline non-violent direct action training camp. From there, we will be travelling back to South Dakota, to support our allies from the Oglala Lakota Nation for a Women’s Day of Peace action in White KKKLay – a march to “save (their) nation from the mental diseases of Alcoholism.”
Do not confuse this with a plea for charity. Landless peasants from all over the world benefited from the genocide of indigenous people across these occupied territories called the United States and Canada. When American Indian tribes sometimes signed treaties with the US government which sometimes allowed new white settlers to stay on tribal lands-that was charitable. So working today to mend damage and stop the genocide of indigenous people is not charity; it’s justice and solidarity.
WE ARE THE LAND, Uranium Mining in the Black Hills”
A new documentary film from Christopher Crosby
Produced by PK Productions LLC and the Institute of Range and American Mustang.
ABOUT “WE ARE THE LAND” –
Governments and the uranium industry say the mining and milling of uranium provides high-paying and much-needed jobs in some of the most remote areas of the country, with manageable environmental risks. But it’s an industry that has long attracted its share of controversy.
This is a major concern for the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in western South Dakota, and other residents including environmental and conservation groups. The Sierra Club of South Dakota warns that water pollution will be a major concern if the mining company Powertech is given a permit to mine for uranium. The Sierra Club’s Black Hills Group, says there’s a high likelihood that aquifers will become polluted if an injection-well recovery system is used to mine the ore.
Powertech Inc USA has submitted its uranium mining application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and it can be viewed at the NRC website. The NRC has announced a time period for interested individuals to voice their concerns regarding the uranium mine’s impacts to the environment. This proposed uranium mine will be the first time folks can be heard under the new GEIS.
“It’s going to be my last great battle, but I’m going to win this one.” says Hyde.
The Institute of Range and American Mustang owns 13,000 acres of private land dedicated to range preservation and a balanced ecosystem. I.R.A.M.’s finest gift is The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, whose purpose is to provide not only freedom for unadoptable and unwanted wild horses, but also a research area dedicated to solving wild horse herd management that will contribute to the well-being of wild horses everywhere.
Dayton O. Hyde, Founder and President Institute of Range and the American Mustang. Dayton Hyde is a rancher, conservationist, award winning photographer, essayist and author of 17 books; He runs the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, an 13,000-acre ranch in Western South Dakota where he protects wild horses.
About the Production:
Director / Editor: Christopher Crosby
Producers: Karla R. LaRive, Susan Watt
Featuring, Tom Ballanco, Tom Cook, Dayton O. Hyde, Barbara High Pine Peltier, Virgil Red Cloud Goode, Gilbert Sanchez, Susan Watt and Windwalker.
Music soundtrack by Windwalker, Edoal Spirit Buffalo (Wind Spirit Drum), Virgil Red Cloud Goode, Barbara High Pine Peltier, Christopher Crosby, Martin Meyer.
Recorded and engineered at Great Sky Studios, Hot Springs South Dakota. June 2010
Filmed on location at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, South Dakota, USA.
All Rights Reserved
2011
Contact information for the Sanctuary:
Susan Watt, Program Development Director
Institute of Range and the American Mustang
PO Box 998, Hot Springs South Dakota 57747 iram@gwtc.net http://www.wildmustangs.com
Public Relations for WE ARE THE LAND:
Karla LaRive | Studio West Management
PO Box 752, Hot Springs, South Dakota 57747 http://www.studiowestmanagement.com
The Voices of the Heartland Independent Film Society presents two regional films tonight at 6:30pm the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, SD.
We hope to see you there.
Frank Waln, “Common Man, Nake Nula Waun”
Black Hills WIld Horse Sanctuary’s “We Are The Land”
6:30-6:45 Introductions
6:45-7:30 Film “Frank Waln”
7:30-7:45 Randy Q&A
7:45-7:50 Play the video “Hear My Cry”
7:50-8:20 Cody Q&A plus some songs mixed in
8:20-8:40 “We are the Land” video
8:40-9:00 Clay discussion
Public Service Post for the Black Hills South Dakota Clean Water Alliance:
Greetings —
Please plan on attending the Regional uranium opposition meeting on Saturday, July 13. This will start at 9:00 am at the Rapid City Public Library. We expect people to attend from CO, WY, SD, and NE. This is not just for people who are already active on this issue (although we expect to see those folks).This meeting is for everyone and would be an excellent meeting for you to attend if you have not been deeply involved in this issue, but want to learn more. There will be people who are opposing existing mines, who want to stop new mines, and who have successfully stopped a mine.
We will share information about what the many organizations who are working against uranium mining are doing. We will have an educational segment from Debra White Plume of Manderson, SD. She always has interesting things to say about water, activism, and moving forward. And we will have a potluck lunch. If you know what you’ll be bringing, let me know, and we’ll try to be sure all bases are covered. Then we will spend part of the afternoon strategizing and figuring out how we can continue to work together.
We should be done by about 3:00, but we have the room until 4:00, if people want to hang around and visit.
Coffee and juice will be available. If you need gas money, let me know. Clean Water Alliance is always ready to support those who have to come from a distance, but I need to know ahead of time, so I come prepared.
Let me know if you have any questions. See you there!
What would you do if you were totally dependent upon a single monthly check of $250 to cover all your living expenses from rent, heat, electricity to food and then your check suddenly ceased arriving in your mail box without any explanation? What if you live on a reservation where there is 80-85% unemployment and your tribe is $60 million in debt? Add to the context the highest rates per population of child suicide in the world. Now imagine what goes through your mind when your single source of income becomes “invisible” and you already know you don’t have the gas to drive off the reservation to search for employment, you have no funds to find housing off the reservation, and you are the sole adult caretaker for your grandchildren. What is now going through your mind at this point?
The following information is directly from Anne Fields who has been in direct contact with people on Pine Ridge Reservation who are currently in precisely the situation presented above.
Anne Fields:
There is a new situation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota (and presumably on other reservations) that is very dire and perhaps life threatening.
I am a white grandmother who has spent a total of 18 months on the reservation, including four months teaching in the Early Head Start program. I have friends who are directly affected by the problem and who are growing more desperate each day. So far my efforts to find information or help for them have been unsuccessful.
Each month the Bureau of Indian Affairs has been providing General Assistance grants (see below) to many residents who are desperately needy. On Pine Ridge approximately 940 people receive monthly checks of up to $250. These checks are often their only source of income and their lifeline.
In December 2012 no checks came. I spent several hours on the phone with officials at the local, regional, and national levels trying to find out what had happened. Eventually I ended up at the BIA Division of Human Services in Washington where I spoke with Bevette Hern at 202-513-7608. She told me that there had been new software which had a glitch that was holding things up. She said it was now fixed and that the Treasury would get a file transfer shortly and that the Agencies should have the money by the end of that week. This did indeed happen.
But then in March 2013 again no checks ever came and there were no notifications to the recipients. The Post Offices were besieged by people looking for their money. No checks have arrived for April 2013 and folks are seriously cold and hungry. They do not know if the money will ever come again. They have had no information from the BIA.
In an effort to try to get some information regarding these crucial funds, I tried to call Bevette to see if this is a permanent situation, only to find that she is no longer working there (even though her answering machine still uses her name). I spoke with someone who would only give her name as “Roberta” and who said that she knew nothing about the details, only that the money available for “Welfare” has been cut back. She told me that I needed to talk to the BIA Great Plains Social Services in Aberdeen, SD. I called them at 605-226-7351 and spoke with “Patti.” She told me that Central Office has not received any funds so they have nothing to give out. She recommended that I talk to the folks in Washington–the same people who directed me to call her office.
I have written to South Dakota Congresswoman Noem and Senators Johnson and Thune for clarification, but as of now I have heard nothing back from any of them.
BIA Human Services handles 6 components of Financial Assistance, which consist of:
1. General Assistance
a) An applicant must meet the criteria contained in 25 CFR 20.300 (Who qualifies for Direct Assistance)
b) Apply concurrently for financial assistance from other state, tribal, county, local, or other federal agency programs for which he/she is eligible;
c) Not receive any comparable public assistance, and
d) Develop and sign an employment strategy in the ISP with the assistance of the social service
worker to meet the goal of employment through specific action steps including job readiness and job search activities.
So, what should Anne Fields and these 940 people on Pine Ridge Reservation DO to get some information from the BIA and/or the Federal Government? Any suggestions? Even if you have no notions about how to deal with this continuing situation, please take a moment to send this information via your favorite internet social network sharing options.
Okay, here are a few information items from the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance of South Dakota regarding their ongoing effort to stop uranium mining in the Black Hills by Powertech. Take note that donations of ANY amount are requested by the Clean Water Alliance in order to enable the hiring of expert witnesses concerning the dangers of uranium mining. There is a link to an expert example. Take note that Powertech (p.31) wants water for FREE. Now if anyone else is using water we pay for it. Why should a uranium mining company get water at no charge? Oh and NO accountability or responsibility for any environmental damages either. What do I know? Not much. But Lilias Jarding of CWA knows a thing or two:
Last Friday, we had the prehearing on Powertech’s application for two water permits and a ground water discharge permit (to spray waste water on the ground). The good news is that the actual hearing on the applications before the state Water Management Board will not occur the week of March 18. It will be postponed, which gives us more time to prepare.
However, hiring the experts we need for the hearings costs money — lots of money. Our experts will talk specifically about how Powertech’s proposed project would damage groundwater and the land. We have to have experts to oppose Powertech’s applications effectively. We know who we want to hire, and it will cost over $15,000. So we need both small and large donations to help us raise that money.
We also need general operating funds. Clean Water Alliance is an all-volunteer organization, so your donations go directly to work against uranium mining in the Black Hills region. Every bit helps. Please give what you can.
Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE and pass this message along to others who might be willing to help.
Your support is gratefully received.
For anyone who hasn’t seen them, here is the link to the comments by Dr. Robert Moran on the draft Supplemental Impact Statement prepared by Powertech. These are the type of comments we would like our experts to do for the water permits hearing. And this is why we are raising money —
The next Heartland Film Society screening will be “Flow” on Monday February 25, 2013. It will be at the Elks Theatre in Rapid City at 7 pm. Admission is $7.00. The screening is co-sponsored by the Black Hills Chapter of Dakota Rural Action. The film is about water and how important it is to protect it from corporations, both in the U.S. and internationally. It documents how local grassroots organizing can be effective. There will be a panel discussion afterwards with Debra White Plume, Bruce Ellison, and Becky Leas. They will be discussing the proposed uranium mining by Powertech in the Southern Black Hills.
Please come out and support this very important event. Bring a friend or three. Thank you very much. Clay and Mary Ellen Uptain and your Heartland Film Society Committee. http://heartlandfilm.wordpress.com/
*******
Greetings —
The next Clean Water Alliance meeting will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 10:00 a.m. We’ll be meeting at Seattle’s Best coffeeshop’s meeting room again, as the library is not available. The coffeeshop is located at the corner of 6th Street and St. Joseph Street — on the first floor of the Alex Johnson Hotel in downtown Rapid City.
Powertech to raise $1.5 million from secret “strategic” investors
Posted February 18, 2013
Once again, Powertech CEO Dick Clement has saved the Canadian penny stock company from bankruptcy by convincing “strategic” investors to buy up to 15 million shares for $0.10 each, according to a February 12 news release.
The unidentified strategic investors would purchase units consisting of one common share of Powertech and one share purchase warrant. One warrant entitles the investor to purchase one additional share for $0.20 for a period of three years.
The gross proceeds of the proposed private placement are only $1.5 million, but would allow Powertech to survive for another four months, assuming a cash burn rate of $400,000 per month.
Unlike financial investors who invest solely to realize a return on their investment, strategic investors are typically operating companies in the same or similar industries that seek to create synergies with their investments.
Strategic investors often expect to assume a degree of control over the investee company, and in many cases intend to acquire the company.
Since Powertech is in the midst of seeking multiple federal and state permits for the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine, one would think that the disclosure of the potential future management of the company would be of interest to affected landowners, regulators, and investors.
But in typical fashion, Powertech has chosen to conceal the identities of the strategic investors.
Interestingly, Powertech has changed the description of the company that appears at the end of its news releases. After repeated challenges on this website to provide supporting evidence, Powertech has removed the following statement from its news releases:
“The Company’s key personnel have over 200 years of experience in the uranium industry throughout the United States, and have permitted more than a dozen in-situ operations for production.”
The February 12 news release includes the new language:
‘The Company’s key personnel have in-situ uranium experience throughout the United States and worldwide.”
Young Indigenous women are some of the most invisible and unrepresented people on Earth. That is one reason to read Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog, nowBrave Bird, with Richard Erdoes even though it was published in 1990. Another reason is that it won the American Book Award in 1991. Yet another reason is for the insight it provides into some of the tough issues young women on reservations continue to confront: violence, rape, alcoholism, drug abuse, racism, exploitation, poor education, grinding poverty. This is not a calm, quiet memoir of a certain time and place written by a woman looking back in nostalgia with some polite veneer of wisdom gained by mature hindsight. Lakota Woman offers the perspective of a very candid, blunt spoken, tough, and passionate young woman who makes no apologies for anything. This is a woman who now knows who she is, where she came from, and why. Part of her story includes giving birth to her first child during the siege at Wounded Knee in 1973 after refusing to leave in spite of the increasing danger. While Lakota Woman does not offer any in-depth analysis of the American Indian Movement, the Trail of Broken Treaties or the Native American Church, it does offer a no punches pulled, first person female perspective based on direct experiences with all of them– a young Lakota female perspective seldom encountered in the mainstream American culture.
I am a iyeska, a breed, that’s what the white kids used to call me. When I grew bigger they stopped calling me that, because it would get them a bloody nose. I am a small woman, not much over five feet tall, but I can hold my own in a fight, and in a free-for-all with honkies I can become rather ornery and do real damage. I have white blood in me. Often I have wished to be able to purge it out of me. As a young girl I used to look at myself in the mirror, trying to find a clue as to who and what I was. My face is very Indian, and so are my eyes and my hair, but my skin is very light. Always I waited for the summer, for the prairie sun, the Badlands sun, to tan me and make me into a real skin. (p.9)
Such are the words of Mary Brave Bird of the Brule Tribe from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Consider the memoirs current teenaged women of Rosebud, Pine Ridge, Standing Rock and the Cheyenne River Reservations might share–if anyone dared put them into print. Lakota Woman might offend some, might make some very uncomfortable, and distress others. It certainly won’t bore anyone. It definitely offers a great deal to think about regarding women, culture, family, history, spirituality, politics, and values.
Maze of Injustice, the failure to protect Indigenous Women from sexual violence in the USA, PDF file of Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/MazeOfInjustice.pdf Perhaps this report offers one explanation for the legistative difficulties faced by the VAWA. Why would non-Native men want to start allowing arrest and prosecution of the non-Native men who rape Indigenous women on reservations? No rocket science required.
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