Meeting Notes

Opening Prayer: Garvard Good Plume

Opening Remarks: Charmaine gave a thank you to everyone who attended. We also have a new email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and are looking at a new website.

Introductions

Minutes of May, June and July were available and approved. (Chepa Black Feather was asked to be the recording secretary.)

Treasurer’s Report: Brian couldn’t attend but asked Charmaine to report. With the website down, we are having some financial difficulties as we did receive online donations. The Bear Butte Land Trust Account is still slowing growing. We have a request in to the Lakota Fund, our past fiscal agent, for any future funds that might come to them. We do not have the finances right now to do the mailing in order to keep the copy machine. The postage is $140 per mailing and growing with our growing membership. Discussion followed. The following recommendations were given:

1. Ask for a postage fee of $15 per year per address or we can’t continue to mail the minutes.

 

2. Post the minutes in public places. Anyone interested in doing this should call Charmaine at (605) 399-1868.

3. Ask assistance from other allies and websites to post our meeting notes.

1. Report on Uranium Summit held Aug. 17-18, Reva Gap Campground Representatives from Custer National Forest, SD Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, and Al Schwalm, professor from Oglala Lakota College who is working with SD School of Mines and Technology on a study of the dust and water runoff at Cave Hills gave presentations. The results from SDSM&T-OLC are not final yet.

The SDDENR was asked to sample surface water in the rivers in western SD for radiation by Defenders’ request to the SD State-Tribal Relations Committee. The report indicates that dissolved uranium was high in the Cheyenne River at the SD-WY border. The report further stated that the highest concentration of total uranium was found in the White River and increased from upstream to downstream with the highest concentration where it empties into the Missouri River. The SDDENR further stated: “There is no indication of impacts from current or historic mining. Rather, the sediments containing those elements are eroded and deposited in the rivers.” We do not completely agree with this conclusion as the SDDENR was unaware of the bombing range on the northern part of the Pine Ridge Reservation which also might be adding to the high concentrations in the White River. Their disclaimer also made us want more information. Therefore, we will continue to seek funds for an independent study. A second opinion may be more convincing to some of us. (Anyone wishing a copy of the SD DENR report may call Defenders office at (605) 399 -1868.)

2. Benefit Concert, Oct. 6: Richard & Garvard Garvard gave a report on a planned Benefit Concert for Fri., Oct. 6. Discussion.

3. Black Hills Pow Wow Tabling Ingrid and Kay offered to work. Ingrid will be here on Fri. Discussion.

4. Fall Raffle: Raffle will begin with the drawing of winners to be held during the Lakota Nation Invitational Basketball Tournament in Dec. Raffle items include: Hand quilted Star Quilt, 3 Silver Bracelets, Tipi Lamp, Pickup load of Firewood (local only), Gingerbread Tipi (local only), and Painting by Genevieve Blue Bird. Tickets are $1 per ticket, or 6 for $5. [Note: Consolation prizes of beadwork will be sent to non-local winners should they be the winner of the firewood or gingerbread tipi.] Charmaine will try to get the website up with pictures of the raffle items.

5. International Indigenous Nations Treaty Summit, Sept. 21-22, 2006 UN Expert Treaty Seminar, Hobema, Alberta, Canada - Sept. 25-28, 2006 Charmaine must attend and funds have been raised from sponsors in NY, and St. Mary Magdalene Church in Colorado. Others to attend are Clifford, Janice, and Garvard. They will drive the ‘Defenders’ limo’ (‘91 Ford Station Wagon).

6. Plans for Uranium Summit Black Hills Another uranium summit is planned to bring information to the public. A couple of bills were passed in the SD legislature: one which had no public hearing to allow nuclear power plants to be built anyplace in SD. The other was to allow In Situ Leaching (ISL) anyplace in SD. In the ISL process, a hole is drilled into the earth and a liquid forced in which dissolves the uranium (U). The U is then brought back up and separated. The Crow Butte Uranium mine is currently doing this near Crawford Nebr. Extensive plans are being made to do this in Wyoming and the southern Black Hills. There appears to be a ‘minimizing’ of the dangers of radiation to human health and the environment. It is also harmful to Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth). It is very harmful to the aquifers, the water underground. We are planning for the meeting to be held in Hot Springs in mid November.

Closing Prayer Chepa Black Feather

Potluck Meal