Snowflake Neiman announces layoffs at Spearditch sawmill, blames Forest Service

After a century of fire suppression, a decades-long moratorium on prescribed burns, a lack of environmental litigators and GOP retrenchment the Black Hills National Forest has been broken for decades. The collapse of the Black Hills hydrologic region was forecast in 2002 even as the mountain pine beetle raced to save Paha Sapa water supplies. 

So, in 2018 after the Trump Organization gutted the National Environmental Policy Act then was thrown from the White House Hulett, Wyoming-based Neiman Enterprises closed their Hill City, South Dakota sawmill and is threatening to shutter another in Spearditch announcing layoffs and production cutbacks while blaming the US Forest Service. Lumber prices are depressed as wildfire salvage floods mills.

Responses range from relief among those who love the Black Hills to outrage and threats of violence from Republicans. Spearditch Republican, Randy Deibert calls the move, "sad news for our community" and his wife, Lori said, "the risk of forest fires and pine beetle infestation will be greater!" During the 2024 South Dakota lawmakers rejected some $20 million in federal pandemic aid for the timber giant.

At his Faceberg page Ogden Driskill, Republican from Wyoming Senate District #1 wrote, "Unnatural disaster—-No thanks to the United States Forest Service. We will be facing increased fires and bug epidemics. We will then have the same short sighted people blame it on 'climate change.' SAD." His family has milked the US Park Service for three generations with a campground at the mal-named Devils Tower National Monument.

Neiman bought the former Homestake mill in Spearditch in 2008 logging most of the Black Hills National Forest into the dirt. The downsizing comes despite successful operations in blue states while enjoying the fruits of socialism as Republicans found a way to funnel taxpayer dollars to the Black Hills timber mogul under a partnership between the US Forest Service and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

In 1998 this interested party opened the account for Sysco at the newly-built Neiman-owned Golf Club at Devils Tower in Hulett.

The Black Hills National Forest is accepting comments on the North Sand Management Project in the Bearlodge Ranger District in Crook County, Wyoming. 

Learn more at South Dakota Public Broadcasting.