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AmerAlia's present ground water monitoring program has proven that a protective in-situ <br />pressure gradient does protect the overlying drinking water aquifers. AmerAlia's mine plan is not <br />expected to impact the Dissolution Surface Aquifer. In the worst case scenario, AmerAlia's <br />potential impact to the Dissolution Surface Aquifer water quality could not exceed the impacts <br />already found acceptable and approved by the BLM, EPA, and DMG for the WRNM and <br />American Soda projects. AmerAlia believes the key to protecting the underground drinking <br />water resource during solution mining is maintenance of the protective in-situ pressure gradients. <br />Water does not flow uphill or up gradient. Best management practice and high confidence permit <br />compliance verification would result from an automatic gradient measurement and recording <br />program for the Dissolution Surface Aquifer. <br />Solution mining experience in the Piceance Basin has also shown in-situ pressure monitoring is <br />the best method of early stage casing or cavity leakage detection needed to avoid any significant <br />adverse impact. <br />AmerAlia feels it is unwise, unnecessary, and environmentally threatening to continue water <br />quality sampling MWD-1 and MWD-2. Instead, an automated in-situ pressure measuring and <br />recording system has been installed. This will be AmerAlia's primary means of protecting the <br />overlying aquifers. In addition, AmerAlia plans to continue the MWU-2, MWA-2 and MWB-2 <br />baseline sampling and water quality analysis per the monitoring plan. <br />AmerAlia feels additional sampling and water quality testing of MWD-1 and MWD-2 is <br />unwarranted and suggests appropriate modification of the Surface and Groundwater Monitoring <br />Plan. <br />Thank you for your understanding and please call me with any questions. <br />Sin y' °~0 "d <br />Roger ay <br />Vice President, Operations <br />cc. J. Clark <br />J. Daub <br />