A CALL TO ACTION – CLEAN UP ABANDONED URANIUM MINES IN SOUTH DAKOTA

Support is needed at the site of the recent occupation of Forest Service land at Slim Buttes South Dakota near the town of Reva. The occupation began on May 13 to call attention to the numerous leaking uranium mines in the area that have been abandoned since the mid 1960’s. The occupation is being led by Indigenous People from the Standing Rock Reservation. Uranium was mined from coal and rock formations at Slim Buttes and Cave Hills during the 1950’s and 60’s. Coal was burned on site and the ashes shipped off site for further processing. Contamination and health problems continue to be a major concern at Standing Rock Indian Reservation communities along the Grand River, downstream from the mines.

More information can be found at www.silkwoodproject.com.

Assistance is needed in the form of more people on site as well as letters and phone calls to U.S. Forest Service Supervisor in Billings and South Dakota Congressional representatives. For those who wish to join the effort at Slim Buttes, from Reva, South Dakota, go about a mile west on highway 20 and turn north at the Forest Service sign that points you towards Reva Gap. Follow the red flags. Take enough camping equipment and supplies to be self-sufficient for several days. Letters and phone calls are also needed to compel U.S. Forest Service and legislators to initiate comprehensive clean-up and closure of all the uranium mines at Slim Buttes and Cave Hills South Dakota. There is some clean up activity going on at the Riley Pass mine site. At this point, we are unable to find anybody in Region 8 EPA (Denver) that knows about recommendations in a 2003 report for CERCLA action at numerous other abandoned uranium mine sites in the region of concern. State your concerns to;

Nancy Corriden
Supervisor U.S. Forest Service
Custer National Forest
1310 Main Street
Billings Montana 59105
P. 406-657-6200
F. 406-657-6222
dlcook@fs.fed.us

Senator Tim Johnson
SH-136 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4104
P. 202-224-5842
F. 202-228-5765
tim@johnson.senate.gov

Senator John Thune
383 Russell Building
Washington, DC 20510
P. 202-224-2321
F. 202-228-5429
www.thune.senate.gov

Representative Stephanie Herseth
1504 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
P. 202-225-2801
F. 202-225-5823
www.house.gov/herseth

Tell the above listed officials that all the abandoned uranium mines in the Slim Buttes and Cave Hills must be cleaned up and that a comprehensive human health study of health issues must be undertaken in the Grand River Watershed of South Dakota.

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