Defenders of the Black Hills Action Alert!

(Please send this message on to everyone you know.  Thank you.)



Defenders of the Black Hills

P. O. Box 2003, Rapid City, SD 57709 Phone: (605) 399 -1868


URGENT ACTION NEEDED TODAY


For the past two years we have been asking that letters be sent to South
Dakota Governor Mike Rounds requesting a moratorium on further uranium
development until the old mines are cleaned up. He has always replied in
the negative. Therefore we are now approaching the South Dakota
legislature who is starting their sessions in Pierre, SD.

Enclosed are two form letters addressed to Representatives Hunhoff and
Lange. The facts in the form letters are based on studies and research. It
would greatly help these two representatives if they could approach their
colleagues with hundreds of letters asking for a moratorium on further
uranium development. Please make copies of the enclosed letters and have
your friends and relatives sign them, then send them immediately to Bernie
Hunhoff and Gerry Lange. Let's get as many letters to them as possible.
Anyone living anywhere can send a letter because the uranium is used all
over the world in power plants or weapons.

If you live in South Dakota, it would also help if you would send a
similar letter, or group of letters, to your own state Senator or
Representative as well as these letter to Hunhoff and Lange.  Letters to
the Editor of South Dakota newspapers are also needed.  Please also
consider sending a letter to the editor encouraging a moratorium on
further nuclear development in SD.

Together, we can all make our environment safe from nuclear radiation by
starting at where the nuclear cycle starts with the exploration and
mining.

Thank you.

Charmaine White Face, Coordinator

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Name (Print)

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Address

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City, State, Zip Code

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Date





Bernie Hunhoff, Representative

PO Box 181

Yankton, SD 57078

http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx?MemberID=130

Dear Mr. Hunhoff:

Did you know there are more than 230 abandoned open pit uranium mines in
South Dakota? Did you know that one of those is a square mile and another
is 140,000 times more radioactive than normal background radiation for
this Region? Did you know that there are more than 4,100 uranium
exploratory wells in southwestern South Dakota alone? Did you know that
4,000 of those wells are uncapped, unfilled, and unmarked, and have
cross-contaminated the aquifers? Did you ever wonder why South Dakota
residents have such a high rate of cancer? Does the radioactivity carried
in the dust from the abandoned uranium mines contaminate the grass and
crops, and what does this mean for agriculture? Do you know that most
rivers in western South Dakota are contaminated with radioactivity?


These and many other questions regarding radioactive contamination in
South Dakota need to be answered before any more new uranium exploratory
wells are drilled, or uranium mining is allowed to begin.


Please, Mr. Hunhoff, will you advocate in the upcoming South Dakota
legislature for a moratorium to stop any more uranium exploration or
mining until all the abandoned mines are cleaned up, and the old
exploratory wells are filled? We need a moratorium to insure a safe
environment for all the people in South Dakota. We need a moratorium to
insure that all the agricultural products and all the water that leaves
South Dakota is free of radioactivity. We need a moratorium to insure a
future for our grandchildren, a future free from radioactive pollution.

Thank you.

Sincerely,





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Name (Print)

___________________________________________

Address

___________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code

__________________

Date





Gerald Lange, Representative

1990 Stoney Point Dr.

Madison, SD 57042

http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx?MemberID=120


Dear Mr. Lange:

Did you know there are more than 230 abandoned open pit uranium mines in
South Dakota? Did you know that one of those is a square mile and another
is 140,000 times more radioactive than normal background radiation for
this Region? Did you know that there are more than 4,100 uranium
exploratory wells in southwestern South Dakota alone? Did you know that
4,000 of those wells are uncapped, unfilled, and unmarked, and have
cross-contaminated the aquifers? Did you ever wonder why South Dakota
residents have such a high rate of cancer? Does the radioactivity carried
in the dust from the abandoned uranium mines contaminate the grass and
crops, and what does this mean for agriculture? Do you know that most
rivers in western South Dakota are contaminated with radioactivity?


These and many other questions regarding radioactive contamination in
South Dakota need to be answered before any more new uranium exploratory
wells are drilled, or uranium mining is allowed to begin.


Please, Mr. Lange, will you advocate in the upcoming South Dakota
legislature for a moratorium to stop any more uranium exploration or
mining until all the abandoned mines are cleaned up, and the old
exploratory wells are filled? We need a moratorium to insure a safe
environment for all the people in South Dakota. We need a moratorium to
insure that all the agricultural products and all the water that leaves
South Dakota is free of radioactivity. We need a moratorium to insure a
future for our grandchildren, a future free from radioactive pollution.

Thank you.

Sincerely,