The Joe Biden administration might have violated federal laws by not giving any explanation to refuse to issue permits for planned fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem told a news channel.
Noem said she has sued the US administration for not following the procedures, which are outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act that, according to her, obligates the federal government to provide sufficient reasoning for not issuing such permits.
The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) governs the processes through which federal agencies develop and issue regulations.
Noem was talking to Lawrence Jones in an interview on Thursday with “Fox & Friends,” and said, “There was no reason to deny us this permit unless it was for political reasons.”
South Dakota had been hosting Mount Rushmore Independent Day celebrations for years before the tradition was halted by the Barack Obama administration because of environmental concerns, Kristi Noem said.
She said that the state authorities have met federal, state, and local standards, including fire danger protocols, environmental concerns, and consultations with indigenous tribes, among a plethora of other protocols necessary to host the July 4th event, Fox News quoted.
She added that former president Donald Trump agreed to help her bring the Independent Day tradition back to South Dakota when she asked. Noem added that fireworks celebrations in 2020 were “fantastic” and a rare moment of unity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.