By Talli Nauman
Native Sun News
Health & Environment Editor EDGEMONT –– With the name “soil landfarm” a private project to open a site in South Dakota for treating petroleum-contaminated materials caused by Wyoming industry received the blessing June 19 from commissioners in Fall River County adjacent to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The Fall River Board of County Commissioners voted, 3-1 with one abstention, for a resolution approving the construction and operation of the solid waste landfill proposed by High Plains Resources, a limited liability company (LLC). With that, the company has passed its first hurdle in a permitting process that also requires approval by the city of Edgemont, where the project would be located. Then, proponents could file a permit application with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, or DENR. “With the application, they have to fully characterize the waste,” DENR Waste Management Administrator Vonni Kallemeyn told the Native Sun News. “Once we receive an application, we’re going to have a lot more information,” she said. The project is “very different” from some 20 other gasoline- and diesel-contaminated soil treatment sites in the state, according to Jim Wendte, in charge of the DENR’s solid waste disposal approvals. “If we get an application and we recommend a permit, that is going to be very different because of the nature of the contamination. We anticipate these are drill cuttings and residues from drilling and production from oil and gas fields,” he said in a telephone interview. Dozens of voters attended the Fall River County Commission hearing on the proposal, although its scheduled time was changed from the morning to the afternoon. Commission Chairman Mike Ortner extended the allotted comment period from 15 minutes to an hour to accommodate remarks. Southern Hills Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Cindy Turner spoke in favor of the project, noting it would provide jobs. A company representative at the hearing said the site would employ a staff of two. Together with commissioners, Deb Russell and Ann Cassens, Ortner voted to approve the proposal. Commissioner Joe Allen voted against it. Commissioner Joe Falkenburg abstained, noting his family owns land next to the proposed site. The application may be waylaid on its route to the DENR’s office, if concerned citizens follow up with their idea of moving to refer the commission decision to county voters. In that case, opponents would have to obtain enough petition signatures to put the question to voters on the November election ballot. “Let’s put it on the ballot and see if they want contaminated soil coming into the county,” concerned Fall River County citizen Cheryl Fair told the Native Sun News on June 20. The county commissioners had approved a resolution favoring the project at their previous meeting. They rescinded that vote on June 19, after local residents registered a complaint over violation of open-meetings rules and regulations, and before proceeding to approval the proposal again. Kenneth Barker of Belle Fourche is listed as the agent representing the company, in the South Dakota Secretary of State’s data base. (Contact Talli Nauman at talli.nauman@gmail.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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