KNBN NewsCenter1 May 5, 2021 PIERRE, S.D. — Uranium mining has been the big topic of discussion in Pierre recently. The Water Management Board (WMB) discussed permits for Powertech Azarga, a company that wants to mine uranium in Custer and Fall River counties. During the meeting, both the company and the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance gave status reviews. Powertech right now has three of the seven permits it needs, but those are either under appeal or tied up in a lawsuit. Wednesdays session of the WMB gave the company and opponents a chance to make their case. “It’s radioactive and toxic, and it has to be done directly in a ground water aquifer,” said alliance member Dr. Lilias Jarding. “So, wherever that aquifer moves, there is the potential for the waste water, the contaminated water from the mine to move that direction also.”