Kids To The Country Kicks Off Another Summer

 

checking out a crawdad
checking out a crawdad

Kids To The Country celebrates 22 years and begins the summer with three young boys from New Orleans joining thirteen young people from inner-city Nashville. The boys from New Orleans experienced hurricane Katrina first hand and watched the flood waters rise into the second story of their home and until very recently have lived in FEMA trailers. At Kids To The Country the participating young people ride horses and bikes, swim in a natural lake, perform in a talent show and explore the natural wonders of 2,000 acres of Tennessee woodlands.

 

Roberto Aguilar from New Orleans rides a horse for the first time.

Oglala Sioux fight expansion of uranium mine

A nuclear problem
© Indian Country Today May 09, 2008. All Rights Reserved
Posted: May 09, 2008
by: Rob Capriccios

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given hope to a growing group of Natives from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in what’s being called a classic ”David vs. Goliath” battle for federal oversight involving a proposed expansion of a nearby uranium mine.

A three-judge panel from the commission ruled in late April that Native opponents to new developments on the Crow Butte Resources mine, located approximately 30 miles south of the reservation, raised valid arguments regarding groundwater contamination and health issues. The panel called for oral arguments on the matter, as well as a hearing on objections to the foreign ownership of the mine, which is owned by the Canadian firm Cameco Corp., the world’s largest uranium producer.

NRC’s whopping 130-page decision came as a result of Cameco’s desire to expand the mine, which opened in 1991 and produces approximately 800,000 pounds of yellowcake uranium each year. Crowe Butte officials have been petitioning to renew their existing license, and have filed notices of intention to develop two new uranium mines.

For several years, members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe have monitored developments at the 2,100-acre Crow Butte site. Many have growing concerns that activities there are affecting the quality of water on their lands, perhaps even leading to higher cancer rates and increased health problems for children and elders.(more…)

Ruling cheers critics of uranium mine

Ruling cheers critics of uranium mine

BY PAUL HAMMEL

Omaha WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN, NE; Federal regulators supplied a victory this week to opponents of the expansion of Nebraska’s only uranium mine.

The Crow Butte Resources mine east of Crawford is seeking to expand to a 2,100-acre site north of that Dawes County community.

The original mine opened in 1991 and produces about 800,000 pounds of yellowcake uranium each year.

The uranium is removed by pumping water and bicarbonate into the ground, then withdrawing the solution and recovering the dissolved mineral.

A three-judge panel from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ruled that opponents had raised valid concerns about the potential for groundwater contamination and threats to human health that warrant oral arguments.

The judges also said a hearing will be held on objections to the foreign ownership of the mine. It is owned by a Canadian firm, Cameco Corp., the world’s largest uranium producer.(more…)

Favorable Decision in Uranium Mining Case

Lakota Organization OWE AKU & An Environmental Victory
April 30, 2008
Greetings from Owe Aku, the traditional Lakota (Sioux) organization advocating for Lakota peoples’ human, ecological and treaty rights from a proactive grassroots perspective.  Owe Aku, on behalf of our communities and allies, is very pleased and humbled to express our gratitude for recent developments regarding the protection of our sacred Mother Earth.  The United States Federal Atomic Licensing Board (ALB) has granted Owe Aku the opportunity to put forth its arguments why Crow Butte Resources, Inc. should not be allowed to expand their current mining interests in northwestern Nebraska.
“Petitioners Debra White Plume, the organizations Owe Aku/Bring Back the Way and the Western Nebraska Resources Council are admitted as parties in this proceeding and their Requests for Hearing and Petitions to intervene are granted.”(more…)