ARCHIVE - GROUP CALLS TO CONGRESS CONCERNING MNI WASTE COMPANY

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PRESS RELEASE POC: CRST Public Relations Rock LeBeau (605)964-8308 For immediate release March 28, 2005 Large and Disparate Group Calls for Congress to Ensure Water Not Cut Off and Avoid Disaster Today, at a meeting in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, a group of American Indians, farmers, ranchers, small town mayors, health care providers, firemen, teachers, businessman and just plain citizens called on the South Dakota Congressional Delegation and their colleagues in the House and Senate to take necessary actions to ensure that the drought – combined with an aging water system – doesn’t combine this summer to shut off water to 14,000 residents of northwestern South Dakota in a geographical area the size of Connecticut. “You’ve heard of a two-headed monster?” queried Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier.  “Well ours has three heads!  We have a water system that is breaking down and only has a capacity of 1.2 million gallons a day when it is working. We have a drought which is going to result in Oahe pool going below the level of our intake valve and finally, we have an intake that, having been lowered once already, is now close to be silted in. The silt covering this area is contaminated with arsenic, heavy, metals and mercury. We face a crisis this summer that is unimaginable. It will affect Indians and non-Indians, on-reservation and off reservation communities. It is a drought emergency and an environmental emergency. Ziebach County is the fifth poorest county in the United States. Dewey County is the 78 th poorest county in the United States. We are talking about an extremely vulnerable population of people, who do not have the resources to simply move or even to get to water distribution points.” Tensions ran high as the critical water shortage was discussed. Glen Haines, the Mayor of Faith, SD, said, “My town is over 100 miles away from the intake pipe on the Cheyenne River. The pipe from that intake then goes through Eagle Butte and heads due west to Faith. It is critical that the intake be moved and a larger pipe and treatment facility be built. We cannot wait any longer – this situation is critical. If the Congress can meet in special session all weekend to save one life, I am sure they can meet in time to save the 14,000 lives at risk here in South Dakota.” John McGinness, Dewey County Commissioner stated, “this is a more serious problem than what people think and we need to deal with it.” John Ganje, City of Eagle Butte said, “Someone needs to prioritize the Master Manual, We’ve got 40 people on Dialysis, they need first priority in case of emergency” Background Even if the intake doesn’t go out of the water this summer 99% of the current system is at or above maximum capacity. Emergencies already exist: No water access for new users including 157 applications denied so far, and denial of service to over 200 new homes planned by the Cheyenne River Housing Authority. Given the current housing conditions on the Cheyenne River Reservation to actually have money available to build new homes but to prohibited from building them due to a lack of water and water pressure is a tragedy. No water access to fight fires in at least 12 communities due to low water pressure. In LaPlante and Eagle Butte in the past two years, the fire department was within minutes of no water to fight two large prairie fires that threatened all housing and businesses. In one instance, when water pressure went out water from a sewage lagoon was used to put out a prairie fire. Low water pressure and lack of adequate water storage facilities resulting in limited water access for human consumption, cooking and bathing. Water frequently not available on second floor of homes and buildings. Increased line breaks because of the age of the system and fluctuation in water pressure resulting in increased costs of operation and worker exposure to asbestos because the entire main line is constructed of asbestos cement pipe. No water available for the new hospital or the nursing home being built in Eagle Butte, South Dakota or the 144 new homes being built for medical staff. When the water goes out completely, which is predicted to happen this summer, there will be an even more severe crisis: No water for businesses, clinics, schools or governments. No water for homes. No ability to put out fires. No water for cattle or farming. 40 People currently on Dialysis Treatment will not be able to receive care Under such a crisis we anticipate that people will get water any way they can even if that means accessing untreated water. History has shown us this will lead to disease normally associated with third world countries such as dysentery and cholera and parasite infections. The assembled representatives of an area covering over 4,800 square miles expressed their appreciation to the Army Corps of Engineers whose representatives are coming for a visit tomorrow. It is the concern of the group that under existing authority, the Corps will only be able to move the intake a few miles further out into the mouth of the Cheyenne River. This may get the affected communities through the summer but it won’t fix the problem. The group jointly signed a letter to Senators John Thune, Tim Johnson and to Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth urging specific Congressional actions to pursue two tracks: First, to get language into the FY 06 Energy and Water Appropriations bill directing the Corps to use the authority found in 33 USC 701n, Emergency Response to Natural Disasters, to move the intake into the main stem of the Missouri (and out of the Cheyenne River) and to install the necessary pumps, water transport pipeline, and treatment facilities to get water to Eagle Butte. The group indicated their understanding that this is a larger project than is normally done by the Corps under this authority but indicated that an extraordinary situation requires an extraordinary response and they hoped the Congress and the Corps would be both understanding and innovative. The Banner Engineering firm of Brookings has completed a technical study specifying how this can be done. It will cost $76 million. The second request of the group to the Congressional Delegation was to secure language in this year’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2005) authorizing a wider and better distribution system. The signers of the letter pointed to Section 219(f) of WRDA, as having been used in various parts of the country for “Environmental Infrastructure” projects including water systems and pointed out that, as with 33 USC 701n, the authority exists if the Congress warrants this important enough to use it. The group acknowledged that the larger system would need authorization through WRDA and couldn’t qualify under 33 USC 701n. “We simply can’t wait any longer or these communities won’t survive,” said John Bachman, Mayor of Eagle Butte, South Dakota. “We have examined various alternatives and this approach is clearly the best way to serve the thousands of people affected by this water system. We pray our Delegation and the Committee Chairmen who will decide these things understand how critical the situation is in this area. We have to do something right now,” he concluded. The meeting concluded with everyone in agreement to present a united front to get this situation resolved. For Further Information please contact the following people: Chairman Harold Frazier, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Phone: 605-388-5375 Wayne Ducheneaux, Director Cheyenne River Housing Authority Phone: (605) 964-426