A federal judge this week decided not to grant South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem a preliminary injunction that would see fireworks allowed at Mount Rushmore for July 4. U.S. District Judge Roberto Lange, an Obama appointee, ruled that Noem’s lawsuit is unlikely to succeed and that the Biden administration’s rejection of a requested permit was not arbitrary or capricious. The National Parks Service denied the permit request for five reasons, including concern over the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak, concern about the potential for wildfires, and undermining relationships with Native American tribes in the area. “The concern about COVID-19 spread, from the perspective of someone writing on March 11, 2021, was very real and based on relevant data,” Lange wrote in his 36-page decision, adding that the court cannot at this time say the service’s choice to honor tribal concerns was irrational. Additionally, the judge sided with the defendants in …