Rapid Creek Watershed Action kicks off petition drive to ensure watershed protection

-Clean water activists want Senator John Thune, Senator Mike Rounds and Representative Dusty Johnson to sponsor legislation to designate the Rapid Creek water shed west of Rapid City as a recreation area and to withdraw mineral claims in the area.

Justin Herreman, the spokesperson of the Rapid Creek Watershed Action, said it would protect the water supply for Rapid City and Box Elder as well as protect a Lakota cultural site.

He says 25 percent of this water shed has mining claims on it.

Herreman said it can also help the local economy.

”The outdoor industry association calculated that outdoor recreation by out of state visitors brought in 2.7 billion dollars and 48 thousand jobs to South Dakota in 2017. This is a substantial economic benefit which is why this is such an important thing that we are trying to accomplish,” Herreman said.

Herreman aims to attain two thousand signatures with the hope to have this pass in the next legislative session.