In 2003, the city of Sturgis and several private local businessmen announced plans to build an outdoor shooting range called The Black Hills Sportsman’s Complex. The location was four miles north of Bear Butte.
The complex would have dispersed thousands of rounds of ammunition each day. The decibel level would have been heard for over five miles.
The Northern Cheyenne, Rosebud Sioux, Crow Creek Sioux, Yankton Sioux Tribe and Defenders of the Black Hills filed lawsuit to stop shooting range. The basis of the argument was the noise factor would intrude on the ability to worship in peace at the mountain.
Governor Janklow was in office at the time and supported the developers plan. Janklow provided faulty information in order to obtain money from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The developers also received an illegal grant of $825,000.00 from Housing Urban Development (HUD) program.
After investigation, the illegal grant monies were discovered and newly elected Governor Rounds revoked the funding and returned the money that has already been spent. Due to the lack of funding, the complex project halted. Based upon the illegal funding discovery and the project halting, the lawsuit was dismissed.
This was the first known Tribal lawsuit based upon a noise violation with religious freedom. It’s unknown what the outcome would have been if this discovery hadn’t occurred. Would the Supreme Court uphold the lawsuit? Would the Tribes have succeeded in stopping this development? Based upon the actions over the past four years, its debatable if they would have been successful based upon religious freedom.
Tribes ask court to stop range 3/4/03
Future of shooting range goes before federal judge 3/19/03
State returns shooting range grant to feds 9/19/03
Janklow: CDBG not used politically 10/16/03
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