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Executive Summa <br />American Soda, L.L.P. is submitting this 17th Quarterly Ground Water Monitoring <br />Report in compliance with E.P.A. U. I. C. Area Permit CO3858-00000, MLRB <br />Hard Rock Mining Operation Permit No. M-99-002, and U. S. 8LM Sodium Lease <br />Nos. C-0118328 and C-0118329 Record of Decision. The data presented in this <br />document represents the time period from October 1, 2004 through December <br />31, 2004. The Piceance processing plant and well field were in temporary <br />suspension of production operations status and no solution mining activity <br />occurred during the report period. <br />Presently, Technical Revision #4 (TR#4) has been approved by the Colorado <br />Division of Minerals and Geology. TR #4 authorizes changes to the frequency of <br />monitoring and sampling constituents for the Piceance Creek facility during the <br />non-operational period. The modified monitoring plan is currently pending <br />approval by the EPA. Major changes to the monitoring plan detailed in the <br />modified plan will not be instituted until approval is final with all agencies. During <br />this transitional time period, monitoring frequencies and constituents remain <br />consistent with the original monitoring plan implemented in 1999. <br />The present hydrologic monitoring program for the Yankee Gulch Sodium <br />Minerals Project includes monthly monitoring of over 60 water quality <br />constituents from up to 23 sampling locations including five separate water <br />bearing zones. Sampling points are positioned up gradient, down gradient, cross <br />gradient, and in-panel in relation to the mining activity. Recording of water <br />elevations and field parameters is completed in conjunction with collection of the <br />water quality samples from each well that is routinely sampled. As a result of the <br />high solids content of the dissolution aquifer, sampling is only reliably successful <br />at one dissolution sample point. The completion of this well (21-3D) is in the <br />upper portion of the dissolution aquifer where dissolved solids are somewhat less <br />