ANNOUNCING PIEDMONT (FOOTHILLS AREA) LEGISLATIVE CRACKER BARRELS We have two afternoon meeting dates chosen this year for the 2026 Piedmont (Foothills Area) Legislative Cracker Barrels. . Due to request at the 2025 Cracker Barrel for a pre-legislative Cracker Barrel and the deep concerns in our communities about the proposed sand/gravel mine at Piedmont, we decided […]
Deadline for Written comments for Pennington County review of draft revision Alternative Energy Ordinance is 4 pm on Wednesday... Sometimes they extend these deadlines to Friday at 2 pm (or they do not). The hearing is on Tuesday the 20th, Go to our event calendar at that date for more information.. Volunteers from Dakota Rural […]
Lecture - Native America Story Teller on Beaver, Journey Museum, Wednesday, 7 pm, 1/14/26
National Audubon Society's Climate Watch Winter Season- Help collect data to show how birds are responding to 'Climate Change. You need to adopt a 10 mile by 10 mile square and bird within it using a certain protocol between Jan 15th and Feb 15th. Visit the National Audubon Society's (NAS) Climate Watch web page for […]
National Audubon Society's annual photo contest - the time period to submit entries is Jan 15-March 4th - Last chance to submit - submit by noon EST. For more details visit the National Audubon Society web page. https://www.audubon.org/press-room/2026-audubon-photography-awards-open-entries See archives to look at previous years winners and honorable mentions - if you keep selecting "show […]
SD Board of Minerals and Environment's January 2026 meeting The public may participate in-person or via telephone by dialing 1-605-679-7263 and entering Conference ID 972399244#. The full board packet and the link for live streaming are available on the South Dakota Boards and Commissions Portal at https://boardsandcommissions.sd.gov/Meetings.aspx?BoardID=67. Board of Minerals and Environment Telephone Conference Meeting […]
Vote on Destination Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, also known as Libertyland. 1/20/26 Rapid City residents please remember to vote in this special election. We are concerned about allowing tax breaks and the use of taxpayer money for this private enterprise, and the environmental impacts (energy consumption, water), not to mention the patriotic hubris. https://www.kotatv.com/2025/10/07/special-election-determine-libertylands-fate-will-be-held-january-20/ […]
The Commission has taken the Alternative Energy ordinance back for revisions, and a first reading of the updated version is scheduled for the January 20th meeting. Rick Bell at the Dec 16th, review, offered recommendations on behalf of DRA, in his role as a board member, regarding some of the problematic language in the ordinance […]
Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Statewide Bonds; Extension of Phase-In Deadline Comment deadline on Federal rule to extend the phase-in period for compliance with the Oil and Gas Rule’s bonding requirement - deadline Jan 20th, 2026 Federal Register Notice https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/18/2025-23228/federal-onshore-oil-and-gas-statewide-bonds-extension-of-phase-in-deadline Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management 43 CFR Part 3100, A2407-014-004-065516, #O2509-014-004-125222, RIN […]
On November 20, the Department of the Interior released President Trump’s new offshore drilling lease plan, the 11th National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program. The proposal includes as many as 34 potential offshore lease sales across 1.27 billion acres. It includes 21 areas off the coast of Alaska, seven in the Gulf of […]