Pennington, SD
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.
Environmental data for Pennington in South Dakota · Population: 112,081
TRI sites such as Pete Lien & Sons Inc; Gcc Dacotah; Midwest Manufacturing Inc DBA Dakota Panel; SDWIS systems such as RAPID CITY; RAPID VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT; COLONIAL PINE HILLS SANITARY DISTRIC anchor Pennington, SD's EPA extract. Derived burden score 42/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Pennington include HILL CITY; HERMOSA-OLD SYSTEM; THE RANCH AT BLACK GAP, while Pete Lien & Sons Inc leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 36 / peak 111 in 2024.
Burden score 42/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Pennington -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Pennington, SD: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-16.7%
7 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-16.7%
73.8 thousand lb → 61.4 thousand lb, every facility that filed
- Pennington, SD's total reported releases fell from 73.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 61.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Pennington, SD's air releases fell from 52.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 42.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Pennington, SD's land releases fell from 21.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 18.6 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 248 (68%) | 114 | 4 | 111 |
| 2023 | 216 (59%) | 140 | 5 | 172 |
| 2022 | 238 (66%) | 123 | 2 | 116 |
| 2021 | 244 (67%) | 114 | 5 | 202 |
| 2020 | 264 (72%) | 102 | 0 | 92 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in South Dakota, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (30)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| RAPID CITY | 72,009 | 0 |
| RAPID VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT | 11,408 | 0 |
| COLONIAL PINE HILLS SANITARY DISTRIC | 1,200 | 0 |
| HILL CITY | 872 | 4 |
| WALL | 699 | 0 |
| HISEGA MEADOWS WATER INC | 491 | 0 |
| HART RANCH | 438 | 0 |
| PINE GROVE | 425 | 0 |
| HERMOSA-OLD SYSTEM | 420 | 1 |
| SOUTH CANYON COUNTRY ESTATES | 420 | 0 |
| THE RANCH AT BLACK GAP | 375 | 1 |
| KEYSTONE | 349 | 0 |
| HAPPY HOLIDAY RV RESORT | 264 | 1 |
| APPLE SPRINGS SUBDIVISION | 180 | 0 |
| STRATO RIM ESTATES WATER COMPANY | 170 | 0 |
| PONDEROSA RIDGE | 98 | 1 |
| SPEARFISH MEADOWS | 87 | 1 |
| ROCK RIDGE COURT | 74 | 1 |
| SIPHON HILL WATER ASSOCIATION | 68 | 4 |
| ELK CREEK VALLEY VIEW ASSOC | 52 | 1 |
| PONDEROSA PARK | 50 | 0 |
| WEST NIKE SUBDIVISION | 50 | 0 |
| WHISPERING PINES WATER ASSOCIATION | 48 | 0 |
| BOXELDER HIGH COUNTRY ASSOCIATION | 45 | 0 |
| CEDAR GULCH 1 | 45 | 5 |
| HIGHLAND HILLS | 38 | 3 |
| HAPPY HOLIDAY WATER ASSOCIATION | 35 | 1 |
| RIMROCK HEIGHTS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATI | 35 | 0 |
| HIDDEN VALLEY WATER ASSOCIATION INC | 27 | 2 |
| DARLINGTON ESTATES | 25 | 4 |
TRI Facilities (8)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pete Lien & Sons Inc | 193.6K lbs |
| 2 | Gcc Dacotah | 130.1K lbs |
| 3 | Midwest Manufacturing Inc DBA Dakota Panel | 11.8K lbs |
| 4 | U.S. Dod Usaf, Ellsworth Afb | 1.5K lbs |
| 5 | Truenorth Steel - Rapid City | 79 lbs |
| 6 | Forterra Concrete Products - Rapid City | 0 lbs |
| 7 | Forest Products Distributors Inc | 0 lbs |
| 8 | Hubbard Feeds Inc | 0 lbs |
Cities in Pennington (5)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Pennington, South Dakota? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Pennington? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Pennington? ▼
What is the air quality in Pennington? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Pennington? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Pennington? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.