Laserfiche WebLink
Natural Soda LLC 2023 Project Status Report& Annual Plan of Development <br /> 33 January 2024 <br /> <br />6.2. Regulatory Compliance <br />6.2.1. Regulatory Activity <br />In 2023, required reports were submitted in a timely manner. Required forms were <br />submitted to the appropriate agencies regarding activities pertaining to the new wells <br />drilled & associated plugging and abandonment operations. <br />6.3. Reclamation Activity <br />6.3.1. Regrading & Scarification <br />Regrading, and scarification occurred in the fall of 2023 when the 17H-E-SSMW <br />location was interim-reclaimed, and the 14H-I&R location was fully reclaimed by Moody <br />Services. <br />6.3.2. Seeding & Weed Control <br />During the fall of 2023, seeding was conducted by Moody Services on the newly <br />reclaimed 14H-I&R location and interim-reclaimed 17H-E SSMW pad. BG-9 access <br />road was reseeded. The T & U locations had additional seeding performed by Moody <br />Services in 2023. <br />Moody Services was contracted for weed management and sprayed active well pads, <br />utility locations, pads undergoing reclamation, various roadways, and around facilities in <br />2023. <br />Annual vegetation monitoring continued in 2023 for the areas of study that are currently <br />in final reclamation status. The report, The 2023 Vegetation Monitoring Reclamation <br />Status Report, prepared by Mr. Rusty Roberts, is presented in Appendix C. <br />6.3.3. Reclamation Fencing <br />Repair and maintenance activities were performed, as necessary, on existing fences in <br />2023. <br />6.3.4. Precipitation <br />Perennial vegetation is an indicator of long-term precipitation, the "normal" precipitation for <br />the NS site is 12-14 inches for the calendar year. The 32 year average at the NS site is <br />12.54 inches per year, and the 10 year average is 14.60 inches per year. The distribution <br />of precipitation is important for proper reclamation. The 2023 precipitation as measured at <br />the NS plant was 9.81 inches. 2023 marks the fourth year in a row that precipitation at NS <br />was below the 32 year average and ranged from a low of 9.79 inches in 2020 to a high of <br />10.35 inches in 2022. Table 10 provides a composite of precipitation from the NS mine <br />site for the last 10 years. <br />