Noem asks Biden to bring back fireworks

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for the restoration of Independence Day fireworks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

In the letter, dated April 13, Noem said she is raising issue with the National Park Service’s (NPS) decision to cancel the fireworks show at the memorial, which Noem described as contradictory.

“I am raising this issue with you because the letter we received from NPS contradicts statements you made in March that held up Independence Day as a target date for Americans to begin returning to normal,” Noem wrote.

In the NPS’s decision, concerns for COVID-19 safety protocols were raised and named as a reason why the fireworks would not be held.

In March, Biden said that, by July 4, “there’s a good chance you, your families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbeque and celebrate Independence Day. …After this long hard year, that will make this Independence Day something truly special, where we not only mark our independence as a nation, but we begin to mark our independence from this virus.”

Noem said in the letter that Mount Rushmore would be the “perfect place” for the nation to celebrate overcoming COVID-19.

She pointed to the fact that there is a history of fireworks at the memorial to celebrate Independence Day from 1998 to 2009 and again in 2020. The 2020 fireworks display, held July 3, included a visit from then-President Donald Trump.

Noem said the fireworks last year were able to be held, and over 7,000 people attended. Noem said that contract tracing weeks after the event could not trace a single case of COVID-19 to the event in South Dakota or in any other state.

“Moreover, COVID-19 vaccination efforts are moving much more quickly than anticipated,” Noem wrote. “As of April 9, roughly 20 (percent) of the country is fully vaccinated — and over 50 percent of South Dakotans have received at least their first shot.”

Noem said she believes this was part of the inspiration for Biden’s “optimistic” statements, and, given the progress the nation is making, Noem wonders if canceling the fireworks “months in advance” due to COVID-19 concerns fails to recognize both science and evidence.

The letter from the NPS from last month also stated concerns from local tribal leaders as well as environmental concerns.

In her letter to Biden, Noem said South Dakota honors the partnerships the state has with each of its nine tribes. Noem said the tribes were consulted before last year’s event and were invited to attend planning meetings. The state’s Department of Tribal Relations, too, was involved in “every step of the process,” Noem wrote.

Last year, attendees to the event were able to enjoy Native American-led programing before the fireworks display, which included a performance by Dakota Hoop Dance Jasmin Pickner-Bell and the reading of a story by Lakota storyteller Darrell Red Cloud.

“We would also consult with tribal leaders for this year’s event and again invite them to join us to celebrate America’s birthday in 2021,” Noem wrote.

In regards to environmental concerns, Noem wrote that the NPS published a finding of no significant impact, stating that the event would not harm the natural environment in the Black Hills.

When environmental conditions have not been favorable to holding the fireworks celebration, such as in 2002, Noem wrote that “we have refrained from holding this event” and the same practice would continue this year if the event could not be held thanks to environmental reasons.

Regarding the statement that the 2020 event’s attendance limitations “impacted tens of thousands who were not able to visit the memorial or had their visit cut short,” Noem wrote that the NPS is painting a “misleading” picture.

“Long before the pandemic hit, the State of South Dakota agreed to limit attendance for the fireworks due to the previous years’ poor crowd control and the resulting overcrowding,” Noem wrote. “It is also why we celebrate on July 3, so that everyone can enjoy the Memorial on July 4.”

While planning last year’s event, Noem said the state did its due diligence to ensure the event could be held safely and responsibly, including working with the U.S. Department of Interior on all required environmental reviews, multiple community meetings, creating a “go/no-go checklist,” having an emergency operations center on site for two weeks (one week leading up to the event and one week after), assigning specific solicitors to handle First Amendment permits and accommodations, coordinating with NPS on all communications activities relating to the event, and others.

“We are committed to hosting a Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration that is safe and responsible and working closely with NPS to do so,” Noem concludes in her letter. “I respectfully ask that you continue the hopeful message you shared earlier this year and uphold our agreement to host the event this year.”