South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's request for a fireworks celebration on the 4th of July at Mount Rushmore has been denied by the National Park Service for a second straight year.
The National Park Service said that the two main reasons for rejecting the permit application were an increased risk of a wildfire due to the current drought conditions, and objection from Native American tribes.
Fireworks returned to Mount Rushmore in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when then-President Donald Trump hosted a 4th of July event, which Gov. Noem was in attendance.
It was the first time that a fireworks celebration took place in the Black Hills since 2009, after concerns of wildfires and contamination to drinking water.
Noem had tried to get a permit last year for the same type of event, but was denied by the National Park Service. She then sued the U.S. Department of Interior in April 2021, saying that the National Park Service's decision to deny the request was "arbitrary and capricious," according to the Associated Press.
The National Park Service sent a letter, obtained by KOTA, on Monday to the South Dakota Department of Tourism and made it clear how dangerous it would be to have a fireworks event.
"Current drought conditions and the 2022 wildfire outlook indicate that fireworks would cause a high likelihood of fireworks ignition," the letter said.
Noem issued a press release in response to the National Park Service and criticized them for allowing President Joe Biden to hold a fireworks celebration in Washington, D.C. last year.
"Mount Rushmore is the best place in America to celebrate our nation"s birthday – I just wish President Biden could see that," Noem said, per The Hill. "Last year, the President hypocritically held a fireworks celebration in Washington, D.C., while denying us our own event. This year, it looks like they are planning to do the same.
"NPS announced this denial less than 24 hours after we reminded the court that this year’s permit application was still pending," Noem said. "Many of the reasons presented for their denial have been previously addressed, indicating that these reasons are not in good faith. We will move forward with our litigation and urge the court to help us come to a speedy resolution."
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