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<br />February, 1991. An amendment (to update plan) was submitted to the Colorado Mined <br />Land Reclamation Division in February, 1991. Sodium bicarbonate production was <br />periodic through 1991. From 1992 to 1998 on stream operations increased to meet <br />growing market demands. In 1992, North American Chemical Company (NACC) acquired <br />50% of NaTec's interest in the project creating White River Nahcolite Minerals, Ltd. Liability <br />Company (WRN). In 1995 NACC acquired the remaining 50%. In 1998 IMC Global <br />acquired NACC and WRN is a wholly owned subsidiary of IMC Global. Process and <br />hydrology monitoring reports were submitted throughout 1998. Operations at WRN were <br />essentially continuous throughout 1998 to meet market demands. <br />• 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA <br />2.1 Location and Regional Setting <br />The WRN sodium leases (4) are located in the Piceance Creek Basin, Rio Blanco County <br />of northwestern Colorado (see Figure 2-1 ). The sodium lease tracts are located between <br />Yellow Creek and Ryan Gulch approximately 41 miles from Meeker, Colorado and 53 miles <br />from Rifle, Colorado by automobile. The climate of the area is semi-arid, annual <br />precipitation averaging 12-14 inches. Precipitation generally occurs as snow from <br />November to March and as rain during the remainder of the year. The vegetation is <br />predominantly sagebrush, pinyon, Utah juniper, western wheatgrass, and needle and <br />thread grass. <br />2 <br />