Why It Matters
A major uranium mining project in southwestern South Dakota is moving toward state permitting for the first time since 2013, signaling a potential shift in the region’s energy landscape and triggering opposition from tribal governments and environmental groups concerned about water resources and cultural impacts in the Black Hills.
What Happened
EnCore Energy has begun the process of restarting state permits for the Dewey-Burdock uranium mining project, a sprawling operation that would cover nearly 20 square miles across Custer and Fall River counties near Edgemont. The company submitted new water-rights applications to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, beginning a regulatory process that has been dormant for over a decade.
The project secured its final federal permits last month and was added to the federal FAST-41 permitting coordination process in August of last year. Mining would use in situ drilling—injecting a water-based solution to dissolve uranium underground and pump it to the surface. Water would be sourced from local aquifers, treated, and returned underground after use.
State applications for the project went inactive in 2013. The South Dakota Water Management Board rejected EnCore’s request to restart water permitting in 2021, but the company is now pursuing the applications anew. EnCore has not yet submitted formal applications for mine or groundwater discharge permits.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Rapid City-based Indigenous advocacy group NDN Collective have both voiced opposition to the project, citing concerns about historic and cultural sites. The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance also opposes the development.
A separate exploratory uranium drilling proposal from Canadian company Nexus Uranium near Craven Canyon is also pending a permit hearing, though that process remains on hold due to a court lawsuit.
By the Numbers
13 years — length of the state permitting pause for the project
Nearly 20 square miles — area covered by the mining operation across two counties
2013 — year state applications became inactive
2021 — year the South Dakota Water Management Board rejected the company’s request to restart permitting
Zoom Out
Uranium mining has long been a contested issue in South Dakota and the broader western United States, with projects frequently delayed or blocked by environmental and tribal opposition. The resumption of the Dewey-Burdock permitting process reflects broader national interest in domestic uranium production, driven partly by concerns about energy independence and nuclear power expansion. However, state-level water management remains a major hurdle for such projects, particularly in regions where aquifer protection and tribal water rights intersect with mining interests. South Dakota has also been implementing new interpreter-access laws that may affect permitting hearings, potentially shaping how stakeholder voices are heard in the regulatory process.
What’s Next
EnCore must now navigate South Dakota’s permitting system, beginning with water-rights approval and moving toward mine and groundwater discharge permits. Water Management Board member Rodney Freeman expressed caution about revisiting the issue, saying “I just don’t think it’s appropriate for the state of South Dakota and this board to spend millions of dollars once again on an issue and then have the rug pulled out from under our feet after we’ve made a decision.” Lilias Jarding, executive director of the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, signaled expected public resistance, stating “The people don’t want this. There will be public pushback.” Public hearings and regulatory review will likely determine the project’s path forward in the coming months.