Rapid City mayor requests council to reconsider pollution reduction planning grant

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun wants the city council to reconsider plans to accept $1 million from the Environmental Protection Agency, in the form of a pollution reduction planning grant.

The four-year grant would help identify pollution in the area and offer suggestions to fix any issues.

The grant was originally authorized last spring, but after the election of a new mayor and new city council members, the item is being called back into question.

”And so, determining when we can move forward with those elements, but not wanting to if there’s a chance that it’ll be canceled, and so that’s where things will get a little bit dicey. As we just work through the logistics of when we can spend those dollars if we accept it,” said Jamie Toennies, grant manager for City of Rapid City.

The item was tabled at Wednesday’s meeting, meaning that the committee has put an end to the discussion on the topic.

The item could be brought up during the city council meeting on Monday, but it would only be to reconsider the Legal and Finance Committee’s decision to table it.

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