Rounds Statement on EPA Decision to End “Sue & Settle” Practices

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight, today made the following statement on the decision of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to end the controversial “sue and settle” practices at the EPA.

“During the previous administration, ‘sue and settle’ practices resulted in new environmental regulations drafted by special interest groups behind closed doors,” said Rounds. “I’m pleased with EPA Administrator Pruitt’s decision to end this practice and shed more transparency on the processes that federal agencies use to draft new regulations.”

Last Congress, Rounds held a subcommittee hearing on EPA’s “sue and settle” practices. In that hearing, he found that the “sue and settle” process utilized by special interest groups leads to a rushed and reckless rulemaking process that does not follow the proper regulatory process or allow for adequate public participation. He has also introduced an amendment to end “sue and settle” practices.

Both the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act contain clauses that allow citizens to file citizen suits against a regulatory agency to prompt the agency’s compliance with federal statutes. Often, these citizen suits are used to perpetuate the “sue and settle” process, which overwhelms regulatory agencies and results in rushed settlement agreements and consent decrees requiring agencies to promulgate major regulations behind closed doors within an arbitrarily imposed timeline.

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From Sioux Falls Drinking Liberally (10/13):

In South Dakota: The South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP) is so screwed up that the Minnehaha County Democratic Party (the largest county in the state with over 20% of the Democratic vote) just choose an imported labor organizer from Texas with less than one year of experience here and little knowledge or connections in Sioux Falls to represent it on the SDDP’s state Executive Board. The vote was close but a small and determined group of Democrats, concerned about the hurricane destruction in Houston, Texas, forced their will on the group.

Read that here.

And yes, I notice a few people are crabbing about the recent controversy with the SDGOP chair in comparison.. but a person who has been around a few months, versus someone who has well over a decade & 1/2 of residency, as well as elected experience at several levels, is not even remotely the same thing.

The big thing in this report is the last page.

Bjorkman q 32017 by Pat Powers on Scribd

Bjorkman raised a respectable $74K in his first quarter, (spending $26.7K, claiming $95.7K cash on hand) but loaning your campaign $50,000 in in the first quarter of your efforts to reach those cash on hand numbers is a heck of a gamble against your retirement.

GOP Congressional Candidate Dusty Johnson’s report it in, and he’s showing a total of 117,689.07 raised. 55.360.75 spent, leaving the candidate 350,684.50 Cash on hand.

Dusty Johnson 2017 q 3 by Pat Powers on Scribd

What’s notable from Dusty’s report? In this round, Representative David Lust, Mike Stevens & Nancy Rassmussen were in, and so were former State Representatives Alex Jensen, Jacqueline Sly & Nick Moser. Senator Jeff Partridge sent Dusty a check, as did former State Senators Dave Knudson and Al Kurtenbach who were also contributing to the Dusty Johnson election fund.

We also had State Chief Financial officer Liza Clark, DPS head Trevor Jones, former SDGOP ED Herb Jones, Secretary of Correction Denny Kaemingk, Chief of Staff Tony Venhuizen and Lt. Governor Matt Michels. Former first Lady Pat Miller and Sioux Falls Mayoral Candidate Paul Ten Haken were also on the donor list.

What did he spend 55K on? There were a couple of larger disbursements for various consultants, but no more that $2-5000 at the most. The lions share by far went to campaign employees and towards campaigning activities. Most were small dollar, but they do add up. And I think it’s evident from the Johnson campaign’s constant presence at events and parades.

Will the up-front efforts help down the line, and pay off in the end? We shall see!

Shantel Krebs has just filed her 3rd quarter report with the FEC, and here’s what the numbers show:

132,933.21 raised. 48,532.64 spent, 310,870.61 Cash on hand.

Shantel Krebs2017Q3 by Pat Powers on Scribd

The final page of the report indicated that Krebs had paid off a debt to Red Print Strategies for video work, as well as spending a bit over 10K to her general consultant Red Print Strategies.

Who showed Krebs the money? Legislators donating included Dr. Les Heinemann, Deb Soholt, John Mills, former State Senators Tom Dempster & Eldon Nygaard, former State Rep Deb Fischer-Clemens & Don Van Etten, former Governor Frank Farrar, former US Senate Candidate Ron Schmidt, and new Family Heritage Alliance honcho Ed Randazzo. She also took in a PAC donation of $2000 from the NATIONAL CHICKEN COUNCIL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE.

There’s been a lot of chatter with regards to scorecards about how well some Republicans are following the Republican platform, and how “good” a Republican certain officeholders are.  And given how these people are citing certain portions of the SDGOP platform, I was reminded of a portion that was added at the last convention in Aberdeen:

5.14 Candidates – We encourage South Dakota Republican candidates to familiarize themselves with, and pledge to support, the platform of the South Dakota Republican Party.  We ask candidates to conduct themselves in a professional, moral, and respectful manner.  We encourage counties to use the platform as a means to educate and inform candidates and the public.

Read that here.

“We ask candidates to conduct themselves in a professional, moral, and respectful manner.”

Do some candidates need reminders to conduct themselves as such? It is in the platform, after all.

South Dakota’s Unofficial October Holiday
By Sen. John Thune

For many South Dakotans, myself included, the third Saturday in October is always circled on the calendar. While most fall weekends are primetime for college football and Major League Baseball playoffs, those are all overshadowed, at least for me, by walking through a food plot, slough, or corn field and hearing a friend or family member yell, “rooster!” The South Dakota pheasant opener is more than an annual event. It’s an unofficial holiday, and it’s right around the corner.

For me, hunting has always been more about the experience than the number of birds I bring home. Sure, limiting out on ringnecks is great, but it’s the memories I’m able to create along the way that matter the most. As long as I’m walking the fields with friends and family, an empty hunting vest never bothers me. I’m blessed that I’m still able to enjoy hunts with my siblings and my dad who is 97 years young. My sons-in-law have also taken up pheasant hunting, which is exciting for me to be able to pass this tradition on to the next generation.

We wouldn’t have pheasants in South Dakota if it were not for the several hundred thousand acres of suitable habitat that allows them to survive and successfully reproduce in our sometimes harsh climate. We’re fortunate to have landowners throughout the state who both love the thrill of the hunt and understand the importance of wildlife habitat and conservation. We couldn’t have one without the other. While the land and opportunities exist in South Dakota, this year’s drought and diminishing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) footprint didn’t do the pheasant population any favors. According to a state survey, the population is 45 percent smaller than it was last year.

For a lot of hunters, when they hear CRP mentioned, they think of pheasants. The popular and well-respected conservation program provides incentives for landowners to set aside portions of their property that can serve as nesting and brood-rearing areas for pheasants. This year’s low pheasant population and low commodity prices are great reasons to increase the number of available CRP acres. This is why I’ve introduced legislation that would boost the CRP acreage cap to 30 million acres in the next Farm Bill, which represents a 25 percent increase. I’ve introduced additional bills in Congress that would authorize a shorter-term (three-five years) conserving use program that would complement CRP, and expand the sodsaver initiative nationwide, which is something I first authored in the 2008 and 2014 farm bills.

Each year pheasant season brings people from around the world to South Dakota, and it has a significant residual effect on the state’s economy. Pheasant hunters bring hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity with them. They’re staying in hotels, eating at restaurants and diners, and they’re picking up supplies at sporting goods stores around the state. It’s important that we look for ways to strengthen and preserve the state’s pheasant population, which is what several of my farm bill proposals are aimed at achieving.

They don’t call South Dakota the “pheasant capital of the world” for nothing, so as folks hop in their trucks, put on their blaze orange, and bring their dogs into the field, I wish everyone a safe, successful, and memorable hunt.

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Protecting Ourselves from Cyber Threats
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

Cyberattacks are becoming more and more common, as the internet has become such an integral part of our daily lives. We are putting more of our personal information online than ever before, whether it’s when we do our online banking, make a purchase, pay bills or something as simple as sharing photos on social media. It is important that we take steps to protect ourselves from cyberattacks.

The month of October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is using this time to encourage Americans to be mindful of the risks that can happen when we’re not safe online. When our personal information is compromised, it can result in drained bank accounts, stolen identities, fraudulent credit card charges and more.

There are a few tips we can use to protect ourselves from a costly and worrisome cyberattack. First, it’s important to use strong passwords and avoid using the same password for multiple websites and online accounts. Make sure to lock your smartphone and computer when you’re not using them. If you receive a suspicious email, do not open any links or attachments that it may contain and delete the message immediately. You should also be cautious if you get a phone call or email from someone claiming to be a friend, family member or IRS representative asking for you to wire them money. Lastly, avoid accessing online banking accounts or other sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi or from a public computer, as hackers can more easily access your information when you’re on a public network that is not secure.

While we should always focus on protecting our personal information online, it is also important for the federal government to take steps to avoid cyberattacks. As chairman of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, one of my goals has been to increase and improve the defensive and offensive cyber capabilities of the Defense Department. However, our cyber concerns extend beyond our armed forces. For example, as we saw during the 2016 election, our adversaries will not shy away from using cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to try to influence our public discourse or impact our elections.

This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of the new Beacom Institute of Technology at Dakota State University (DSU) in Madison, where the university announced the construction of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) on campus. DSU is one of the nation’s leaders in cybersecurity education, and the SCIF will bring additional opportunities for South Dakota students looking at a career in cybersecurity. Once they graduate, students will be able to work directly on national security and cybersecurity issues here at home.

Cybersecurity is an issue that all Americans need to be concerned with, as we continue to put more of our personal information on the internet. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I encourage all South Dakotans to review their online security measures and make adjustments if necessary to stay safe online.

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Grit
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Grit. It’s that unshakable courage; that resolve to succeed; that hardiness which generations of South Dakotans have represented. It’s a trait we wear as a badge of honor in this state – a trait personified most intensely by the brave South Dakotans who serve in our military.

Grit is also what defined the USS South Dakota during World War II. This ship was a leader among leaders; the war’s most decorated battleship. During the Battle of Santa Cruz Island alone, it shot down 30 enemy aircraft and operationally disabled two enemy aircraft carriers to defend American assets. It would later engage in nine shore bombardments and shoot down 34 more enemy aircraft. The battleship, which was critical to America’s victory in the Pacific, was decommissioned in January 1947, although its storied reputation lives on today.

In early 2012, I joined Senator John Thune and then-Senator Tim Johnson in formally petitioning the U.S. Navy to name the next attack submarine the USS South Dakota, recognizing the accomplishments of that World War II battleship as well as the grit and determination of South Dakota veterans. Our request was granted, and this month, I’m honored to help celebrate the new submarine’s christening.

While I was unable to make it to the official event in Connecticut, I joined the celebration in Sioux Falls days before. There, we welcomed South Dakota veterans who had carried an American flag across the state, placing it in the saddlebag of a new Harley Davidson bike, custom-painted to honor the USS South Dakota. It was a powerful moment; one that reminded everyone there of the sacrifices made to defend the stars and stripes. I was proud to stand that day, with hand over heart, in honor of patriots and the American flag.

The christening of the USS South Dakota turns the page to another chapter in our state’s historic tradition of service. With a mission involving everything from conducting anti-submarine warfare to intelligence gathering, the boat’s been built to dominate the world’s coastal and deep waters.

More specifically, the USS South Dakota can hold an arsenal of Tomahawk missiles, each capable of hitting on-shore targets up to 1,240 miles away (more than three times the distance from Rapid City to Sioux Falls). And while the submarine is 10 feet longer than a football field, nearly as tall as a 12-story building, and equivalent in weight to 65 blue whales, it will move through the water with an unprecedented degree of stealth. It’s a silent protector to say the least, sophisticated enough to maintain America’s undersea supremacy throughout the 21st Century.

As the USS South Dakota submarine prepares to officially join America’s naval fleet in 2018, I ask that you join me in praying for its crew, their safety, and the missions they’re set to complete. I hope they will find inspiration in the USS South Dakota’s legacy as well as the grit, the unshakable courage, and the resolve to succeed that is found in South Dakota’s veterans.

Keeping Our Promise To Taxpayers And Teachers
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard

Two years ago, South Dakotans joined together to solve a longstanding problem. Our state’s average salaries for teachers were lowest in the nation. Even after adjusting for cost of living differences, teachers made significantly more in our neighboring states. I heard from many educators that the problem had reached its breaking point. As many older teachers retired, schools were struggling to fill vacant positions.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force met throughout 2015, and after seeking input from thousands of South Dakotans, it recommended a number of solutions. I proposed several legislative changes based on that report, and a bipartisan coalition in the State Legislature passed versions of those proposals with two-thirds votes. We raised the state sales tax to put more money into education, changed the funding formula to prioritize teacher pay and put strict requirements in place for use of the new money.

Those salary increases took effect for the 2016-17 school year, and the state recently received the final results from that first year. We made great progress. In one year, salaries increased by an average of 8.8 percent. The Blue Ribbon legislation set a target average salary of $48,500, and in one year we moved more than halfway toward that goal.

Raises varied in individual school districts, but I was pleased to see that the largest increases happened in some of our smallest districts. Several districts, including Wall, Gayville-Volin and Mobridge-Pollock had increases of more than 20 percent, and Leola had an increase of nearly 30 percent.

The State Legislature wanted assurance that the new money would be spent as intended – for higher teacher salaries – so the legislation included strict accountability measures. A school district that failed to direct at least 85 percent of those funds to teacher salaries could forfeit 50 percent of the new money it received – a very serious penalty. At the same time, however, the Legislature recognized that schools might fall short due to unforeseen circumstances, and created a waiver process by which a school district can explain its unique situation.

Thirty-six school districts failed to meet at least one aspect of the accountability requirements. They tend to be smaller districts. Although approximately one-quarter of districts missed a requirement, these districts account for less than 11 percent of the teacher salaries paid.

Most of these districts missed the target by a very small margin. Edgemont, for example, was short of the required spending on teacher salaries by 0.1 percent. Herreid missed the required average salary by $109. In Pierre, the district was short by 0.2 percent because a teacher passed away during the school year, which meant the school district spent a little less on salaries than planned.

Examples like these will be considered by the School Finance Accountability Board and the Joint Appropriations Committee. If a school made a good faith effort to comply with the law, and has a corrective plan in place, I hope these bodies will consider a waiver. If, on the other hand, a school district knowingly took the teacher salary funding and spent it for another purpose, it is important that the problem is remedied. The Blue Ribbon legislation was passed with the understanding that the money would be used for teacher salaries, and we owe it to taxpayers to keep that promise.

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