PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – Today, on President Thomas Jefferson’s birthday, Governor Kristi Noem sent this letter to President Joseph R. Biden advocating for South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration.

“This year, as we mark our independence from [COVID-19], Mount Rushmore would be the perfect place for a national celebration and fireworks show,” wrote Governor Noem, referring to President Biden’s message that held up Independence Day as a target for Americans to begin returning to normal.

“We are committed to hosting a Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration that is safe and responsible and working closely with the National Parks Service (NPS) to do so. I respectfully ask that you continue the hopeful message you shared earlier this year and uphold our Agreement to host the event this year,” continued Governor Noem.

In the letter, Governor Noem asked President Biden to uphold the Memorandum of Agreement between NPS and the State of South Dakota regarding the Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration. Governor Noem responded to NPS’s reasons for cancelling the fireworks celebration. She also outlined the due diligence that the State of South Dakota and other entities undertook to ensure that last year’s celebration could be conducted safely and responsibly.

You can read Governor Noem’s letter to President Biden here.