(Pierre, SD) — A South Dakota grassroots group fighting the new state prison project speaks out after a major legal loss. The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled against Neighbors Opposing Prison Expansion, or NOPE, in their effort to stop a new men’s state prison in rural Lincoln County. While the group says they’re disappointed, they respect the court’s decision and are now looking ahead. NOPE leaders say the nearly two-year battle sparked a statewide conversation about government accountability and taxpayer transparency. Despite the court loss, they say their movement helped steer the state away from less suitable prison sites. NOPE plans to stay active and will hold a public meeting Tuesday to discuss next steps and the latest decisions by the state’s Project Prison Reset task force.
