Pete Lien & Sons has officially withdrawn its exploratory drilling proposal near Pe’ Sla in the Black Hills, South Dakota, following a week of lawsuits, occupation of drill sites, ceremony, and federal court intervention. The withdrawal was confirmed Friday by NDN Collective and the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance after the company submitted a letter to the United States Forest Service withdrawing its Plan of Operations for the Rochford Mineral Exploration Project. The conflict escalated after drilling began within a protected two-mile buffer zone surrounding the sacred site. Emergency motions were filed April 28, land defenders occupied active drill pads beginning April 30, and a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order on May 5 halting drilling operations for 14 days. Pete Lien & Sons stated it does not intend to file another exploratory drilling proposal at the site. “This victory reaffirms a critical human truth – that we all have a right to clean drinking water,” ...