|
Post by kimmsr🕊 on Nov 8, 2015 6:34:03 GMT -5
Watched this program yesterday about uranium mining on the Lakota Reservation in South Dakota and the contamination that is being caused by that mining. Water wells becoming unusable because of contamination by waste from the mining operation, people with unusual cancers due to this contamination. The contamination of water is spreading into Nebraska as well.
Since the water we have on this earth is all the water we will ever have and it is what was here from the beginning making it unusable by radioactive poisons is no more acceptable than poisoning our water by hydraulic fracturing or dumping chemicals into land fills.
www.cryingearthriseup.com/
|
|
|
Post by lilolpeapicker on Nov 8, 2015 8:01:25 GMT -5
I saw this myself. It is absolutely appalling what is allowed in this country. The suffering by these people isn't enough to stop it. Once again the almighty dollar speaks.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Nov 8, 2015 11:24:40 GMT -5
My heart cries, too.
|
|
|
Post by lisaann on Nov 8, 2015 11:27:31 GMT -5
mrsk, Should be able to shed more light on this. She is in SouthWestern South Dakota.
|
|
|
Post by lilolpeapicker on Nov 8, 2015 12:55:07 GMT -5
It would be great getting a personal account.
|
|
|
Post by mrsk on Nov 12, 2015 22:38:32 GMT -5
There is no uranium mining on the Oglala Lakota county. I live in that county.
Uranium occurs naturally in the ground, but it is in Fall River county. They have mined in the past, but not in the last 50 years. When they did mine, it was open pit mines, so the Uranium was very close to the surface. It might naturally contaminate anything, but I think it has to be concentrated, not as it is in the ground.
I don't know anyone that is suffering as described. There may be people that are dying of cancer in that community, but no more so than else where in the state.
I think the story has been highly exaggerated and told in an inflammatory way.
Mrs. K
|
|
|
Post by kimmsr🕊 on Nov 13, 2015 6:03:04 GMT -5
The program included some of a hearing about a new uranium mining permit where someone claiming to be an "organic farmer" but worked for one of the mining companies was trying to assure those at the hearing that the companies were not causing the problem.
This mining is done somewhat the same as hydraulic fracturing, water is pumped into the ground to liquefy the uranium which is pumped to the surface where the water is extracted and sprayed over the ground. According to the story many wells have been tested for uranium and they exceed the EPA's limits while others show no uranium.
Perhaps this may be of interest. www.mining.com/planned-uranium-mine-in-south-dakota-clears-key-hurdle-34453/
|
|
|
Post by mrsk on Nov 13, 2015 21:55:13 GMT -5
Yes there has been a lot of interest lately. People are talking about it.
The thing is the uranium is present there, so when you dig a well, you dig in it. It is not like fracking.
There are some people that are very opposed to this, and some that are curious, and some that are quite pro mining.
Mrs K
|
|
|
Post by kimmsr🕊 on Nov 14, 2015 6:47:31 GMT -5
Everyone should be opposed to both this uranium mining and hydraulic fracturing since both put contaminated water back to further contaminate our water.
Keep in mind that the water we have today is the same water that was here when this earth was formed and will be all the water we will have until we destroy this planet we live on. No new water is being made to replace that which we contaminate and while Ma Nature has shown great resilience in cleaning up the messes we make there is a limit and we are rapidly reaching that.
|
|
|
Post by mrsk on Nov 16, 2015 21:51:15 GMT -5
Really I think that the people living in the community need to be able to make the decision. The uranium is there, it is a natural resource. I have not seen or heard of any evidence of water contamination locally.
When the media reports, it gets more readers or watchers when it stirs up controversy. In these communities, there are ordinary people trying to make a life for themselves and their families.
From our point of view, it was an inflammatory article that was only loosely connected to the facts.
Mrs K
|
|