Defenders of the Black Hills  - Hesapa O'nakijin

Hello Defenders,

This Special Newsletter is being sent to ask your help in getting some letters and a petition signed.

 

1. Coal: There should be a letter to Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman for the Senate Health Committee, and another letter to Lisa Jackson, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency. Both of these letters are regarding radioactive particles in coal. These particles are emitted both in the strip mining process, and in burning coal in power plants. All of us in the Northern Great Plains breathe in these microscopic particles in the air. Those living near coal-fired power plants on the East and West Coasts which burn coal coming from Wyoming, North Dakota, or Montana also breathe in the radioactive pollution. There is currently no monitoring or regulation of radioactive pollution coming from coal-fired power plants. Please, sign and mail the letters directly to the Senator or Ms. Jackson. If you can, make copies, and have your family and friends also sign and send those in. There needs to be some safety regulations stopping the radioactive pollution coming from coal. Thank you.

2. National Guard and the National Grasslands: In the last newsletter we told of the plans by the South Dakota National Guard to do their war training in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands across from the northwestern border of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Our grave concerns were about the disturbance of naturally occurring uranium in the proposed project area, and the health dangers to both soldiers and people.

We have begun a petition to SD Governor Dennis Daugaard asking him to stop the National Guard from doing their training in this radioactive area. There are 12 signatures per petition, and signers do not necessarily have to be from South Dakota. Tourists coming here next summer will also be breathing in the radioactive pollution from the dust generated by the war training in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands near the Cheyenne River. Would you please help by getting a petition filled and send it back to Defenders of the Black Hills, PO Box 2003, Rapid City, SD 57709, before Nov. 30th? We would like these back so we can take them in at one time to the Governor. Thank you.

3. Pe Sla, or Reynolds Prairie: Because of a New York Times article on Oct. 4th which mentioned our organization, the Board of Directors has given their approval to our collecting donations for the purchase of Pe Sla, a sacred site in the Black Hills. Although many of us consider this to be extortion, as the Black Hills legally belong to the Great Sioux Nation, for the protection of this sacred place, we are trying to help with raising $9 million. All donations will be given to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe who is taking the lead. Donations must come in to us by Nov. 15th.

If you wish to donate, our Treasurer has asked for checks or money orders with Pe Sla in the memo line so your donation will not be confused with other donations to Defenders. We are not asking to be put on the title, but only want the protection of this sacred place. Defenders is a non-profit corporation part of whose purpose is the protection of sacred sites.

A Benefit Masquerade Pow-wow for Pe Sla will be held on Friday evening, Oct. 26, 2012, from 7:00 - 10:00 PM at the Mother Butler Center, 221 Knollwood Drive, Rapid City, SD. A donation of $5.00 per person will be taken at the door. Children ages 10 and younger are free. Food will be available for $3.00 per plate. Donations of salads and desserts welcome. Drum groups wishing to donate their services for this fun and very worthwhile event are always welcome.

Everyone in the Area is invited!!!

[This is an alcohol and drug free event.]

Letters

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Date

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Printed Address

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Chairman Senator Tom Harkin
US Senate Health Committee
428 Senate Dirkson Office Building
Washington DC 20510

Dear Chairman Harkin,

I am bringing to your attention a situation in the middle of the United States that is hurting many people.

In the Northern Great Plains Region, in Wyoming, is the largest open pit coal mine in the United States. In the open-pit mining process, many pollutants such as carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen are released into the atmosphere. These flow over South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and other points south and east and are in the air people breathe. They also settle on croplands and grasses which animals eat. The most dangerous part of this pollution are the radioactive particles. The coal in Wyoming and North Dakota is laced with uranium and its decay products which are 85% more radioactive than the uranium. It is not surprising that the Northern Great Plains Region has the highest rate of lung cancer in the country.

Furthermore, some very large coal fired power plants are located in North Dakota. Although the power plants are regulated for many things, they do not monitor or are regulated for radioactive particles. Again, this hazardous pollution flows over South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and other points South and East in the air currents, and breathed in by people living in all those places.

Much of the coal that is mined in this Northern Great Plains Region is sent to both the East and West Coasts where, when it is burned, radioactive particles are released into the atmosphere bringing harm and illness to more and more people. Chairman Harkin, your Committee has the jurisdiction for Public Health. This radioactive pollution is a very dangerous Public Health problem. Please use your influence in your Committee to have regulations established for the reduction of radioactive pollution in the mining of coal, and in the emissions of coal-fired power plants. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

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Printed Name Signature

 

 

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Date

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Printed Address

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Lisa P. Jackson, Director
US Environmental Protection Administration
Ariel Rios Building (AR)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington DC 20004

Dear Ms. Jackson,

As EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment, I am bringing to your attention a situation in the middle of the United States that is hurting many people.

In the Northern Great Plains Region, in Wyoming, is the largest open pit coal mine in the United States. In the mining process, many pollutants such as carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen are released into the atmosphere. These flow over South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and other points south and east and are in the air people breathe. They also settle on croplands and grasses which animals eat. The most dangerous part of this pollution are the radioactive particles. The coal in Wyoming is laced with uranium and its decay products which are 85% more radioactive than the uranium. It is not surprising that the Northern Great Plains Region has the highest rate of lung cancer.

Furthermore, coal mining and some very large coal fired power plants are located in North Dakota. Although the power plants are regulated for many things, they are not monitored regulated for radioactive particles. Again, this hazardous pollution flows over South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and other points south and east in the air currents and breathed in by people living in all those places.

Also, thousands of tons of this coal laced with uranium is sent to both the East and West Coasts where, when it is burned, radioactive particles are released in the atmosphere harming more and more people. Ms. Jackson, in your mission to protect human health and the environment, please use your influence to have regulations established so no radioactive pollution will be dischaged in the mining of coal and released through the coal-fired power plants. Thank you.

Sincerely,

________________________  _________________
Printed Name Signature

 

 

Petition to South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard

Dear Governor Daugaard,

The South Dakota Army National Guard is planning on conducting their training next year, beginning June 1, 2013, in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. The area they plan on using is between SD Highway 44 and SD Highway 40 just Southeast of Rapid City. Please, Governor Daugaard, use your influence to stop this activity in this area of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. The soldiers will be in danger from radioactive pollution as the naturally occurring uranium in that area is at, or just beneath, the surface. In addition, the radioactive dust will carry over the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the west and northwesterly winds, and back onto Rapid City when the winds blow from the south. Your intervention will greatly protect the health and lives of many people.

Thank you.

Petition Signatures

 

Signature/Name Address City State

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