There is no evidence 😟 ☹️ that the City of Custer has taken official, formal action to prevent mining on public lands. However, other cities have taken steps to protect their citizens' well water supply. Instead, much of the opposition to mining projects near Custer has come from local advocacy groups, private citizens, and Custer County residents. This is bad news for our Black Hills National Forest and our Clean Water Supply for our Wells. 👎😓 

Join us in working to prevent commercial mining on public lands in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Help us preserve our land and drinking water and the natural beauty of the Black Hills by signing our petition.  Join the List

Efforts by Custer-area citizens and groups

• Public opposition: Residents of Custer have vocalized strong opposition to exploratory drilling and mining projects at public meetings held by the U.S. Forest Service.

• Advocacy groups: Local and regional groups like the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, whose work was highlighted at the Custer Gold Discovery Days parade, are actively campaigning against specific projects. A local Instagram account, Black Hills Preservation Project, has also rallied Custer residents to attend city council meetings to protest mining.

• Targeting specific projects: Custer residents have specifically protested the F3 Gold company's exploratory drilling project west of the city. While the Forest Service gave final approval for this specific project, residents had demanded a more comprehensive Environmental Impact Study (EIS).

• Water rights concerns: A key focus of local opposition has been the potential for mining companies to draw from the limited municipal water supply. The Black Hills Preservation Project explicitly called on residents to act to prevent this.

Recommended actions for the City of Custer

Given the city's limited legal authority over federal land, a multi-pronged approach of official statements and coordinated action with citizens would be most effective.

Legislative and administrative actions

• Pass a resolution opposing new mining: The City Council can pass a formal resolution stating its opposition to new hardrock mining and exploration on public lands in the Black Hills. This would officially document the will of its citizens.

• Join the federal mineral withdrawal process: Following the example of the successful 20-year ban near Pactola Reservoir, the city can formally request that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw additional public lands near Custer from new mining activity.

• Strengthen local regulations: The city can create new ordinances to regulate the use of its municipal water supply, ensuring it is prioritized for residents and local businesses over new industrial mining operations.

• Request an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): The city can submit an official request to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to require a full EIS for all proposed mining projects near Custer. An EIS is a much more thorough review than the environmental assessment used for the F3 Gold project and would increase public involvement.

Public outreach and economic initiatives

• Support citizen advocacy: Custer officials can hold forums and use city platforms to support the efforts of local groups like the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance.

• Highlight the tourism economy: The city can publicly reinforce that its economy is primarily based on tourism and outdoor recreation, contrasting it with the destructive, short-term nature of mining.

• Cooperate with Native American tribes: The city should formally consult and cooperate with Native American tribes, whose traditional lands and water sources are also threatened by mining. This collaboration would create a more powerful and unified front.

• Promote sustainable development: Custer can actively support sustainable businesses and projects that do not rely on resource extraction. Promoting conservation and a vibrant outdoor recreation economy can demonstrate that mining is not a necessary path to prosperity.

Copyright © 2025 Black Hills Preservation Project 

Custer, South Dakota 

Black Hills Preservation Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible. 

©2025 Black Hills Preservation Project. All rights reserved.

Black Hills Preservation Project

PO Box 9

Custer, SD 57730 

Contact Email:  blackhills@myyahoo.com

www.blackhillspreservationproject.org