Noem Applauds DOE for Revoking Deep Borehole Field Test Proposal

Pat Powers

Noem Applauds DOE for Revoking Deep Borehole Field Test Proposal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today applauded the U.S. Department of Energy’s announcement that the agency “does not intend to continue supporting the Deep Borehole Field Test project.” Locations in Haakon and Spink counties were considered as sites for the testing, but significant concerns were raised by Rep. Noem and community members regarding the potential for these sites to house future nuclear waste.

“Like many South Dakotans in Spink and Haakon counties, I was deeply concerned about doing testing in our backyard to determine whether deep boreholes could store nuclear waste,” said Noem.  “I am grateful to the Trump administration for hearing the concerns raised by these communities and subsequently withdrawing consideration of this proposal.”

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5 thoughts on “Noem Applauds DOE for Revoking Deep Borehole Field Test Proposal”

  4. How is this different from Harry Reid and Yucca mountain? Eventually we have to figure out where this stuff can be stored I if we are advocates for clean efficient nuclear energy.

  5. Glad to hear that Representative Noem was against this one deep borehole planned to be drilled in “our backyard”, which may have opened that door to nuclear waste disposal. It’s refreshing to know people are against nuclear waste being stored in South Dakota. But what about the 4,000 deep “In Situ Leech” mining wells being planned in the Dewey-Burdock area for uranium mining, along with deep injection wells for mining waste water?. These deep wells could absolutely be a beginning to our end for clean water in our “backyard” in the Black Hills and beyond. According to the EPA public notice the one permit is a UIC Class III Area Permit for injection wells for the ISR of uranium; the second is a UIC Class V Area Permit for deep injection wells that will be used to dispose of ISR process waste fluids into the Minnelusa Formation after treatment to meet radioactive waste and hazardous waste standards. The EPA is also proposing an aquifer exemption approval in connection with the Class III Area Permit to exempt the uranium-bearing portions of the Inyan Kara Group aquifers. The EPA is taking public comment up to June 19th on rather to grant permits to this foreign uranium mining company for these deep wells and injection wells. So what say you? Thankfully one deep bore hole is gone, however 4,000 may be in the future and will pollute our precious groundwater aquifers, and possible open that can of worms to nuclear waste storage again here in the Black Hills. We all know which way the waters; it runs to the Missouri via our rivers, creeks and underground flow. Please Send in your written comment to the EPA to the address below:

    Valois Shea ([email protected])
    Fax: 303-312-6741
    U.S. EPA Region 8
    Mail Code: 8WP-SUI
    1595 Wynkoop Street
    Denver, Colorado 80202-1129

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