ALIGNING FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING

by David Cory Frankel, Legal Director for ARM

Aligning for Responsible Mining (ARM) is raising environmental, safety and other contentions including one related to the link between the mine's operations and arsenic contamination, diabetes and pancreatic cancer among some of the health impacts of the uranium mining near Pine Ridge Reservation. We are up against Cameco, Inc. which has been called the "7th Worst Company in the World" because of its uranium mining and processing and the pollution it has caused especially near native lands. We are opposing Cameco on all fronts, raising crucial public awareness and creating helpful legal precedents along the way such as whether the US Atomic Energy Act allows foreign companies to be issued uranium mining licenses.

ALIGNING FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING In 2009, ARM's activities are expanding to oppose Canadian-owned Powertech USA, Inc.'s application to mine uranium out of aquifers in the Black Hills in Custer and Fall River Counties, South Dakota. The Black Hills(Paha Sapa) are sacred to the Lakota People. It is said that in ancient times, the Lakota people lived under the Black Hills and after the Ice Age, the Lakota people came again to the Earth's surface, to Unci Maka - Grandmother Earth. Poisoning the water of the Black Hills is like poisoning the blood of the Lakota People and Lakota Culture and must be opposed by all allies. For updates check www.savecrowbutte.org or visit plentyblog.com