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of the plant. A long term, and outstanding safety record, daily inspections, <br />continuous monitoring and both automatic and manual valves all serve to insure that <br />there are no process fluid releases to the environment. <br />4) The referenced statement, extracted from Section 6.8 of NSI's Mine Plan: <br />"Construction and operations at the solution mine site are anticipated to ultimately <br />affect a maximum of 260 total acres of land." is considered by NSI to be reasonably <br />accurate. Additionally this wording has existed in previous versions of approved <br />mine plans. Statements which indicate that mining operations will ultimately affect a <br />maximum of 260 acres (more or less) are also found in the BLM Record of Decision <br />and Environmental Impact Statement and the State of Colorado DRMS issued <br />mining permit. Section D.6, page D-29 of the DRMS issued mining permit No. M- <br />1983-194 Rev No. AM-02 states: "Approximately 257 total acres of land will be <br />affected by construction and operation at the solution mine site." NSI believes that <br />the issue seems to stem from wording found in the DRMS permit (Am-02, Section <br />D.6, page D-29) that indicates: "For this permit modification, 73 acres are necessary <br />• for disturbance over initial five year operating plan." NSI acknowledges that the 73 <br />acre limitation for disturbed land, mentioned in DRMS permit No. M-1983-194, will <br />need to be modified, and proposes amending the DRMS permit to increase the <br />current limitation of 73 acres of disturbed land. <br />5) The downhole pumps are run only during active mining. These submersible pumps, <br />in the recovery wells, serve to help maintain the historic DS Aquifer potentiometric <br />head. No change in the potentiometric head of the DS Aquifer would be expected if <br />the plant is idled (i.e. no injection, no recovery). In the area of NSI operations, the <br />potentiometric surface of the A Groove Aquifer is higher than the potentiometric <br />surface of B Groove Aquifer, and the potentiometric surface of the B Groove Aquifer <br />is higher than the potentiometric surface of DS Aquifer. <br />6) The DS monitoring wells in close proximity to the solution mining activity have <br />downhole pressure transducers that continuously monitor potentiometric head. <br />Should an increasing or decreasing trend be noted, the injection flow rate is adjusted <br />appropriately. <br />Should you have any questions or comments, please contact me at (970) 254-1224 <br />or (970) 216-1010 (c), or Bob Warneke at (970) 878-3674 x14. <br />Regards, <br />Par <br />Gerald J. Daub, PG CPG <br />President <br />Daub & Associates, Inc. <br />SPECIALIZING IN PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, HYDROLOGICAL, GEOTECHNICAL AND PERMITTING SERVICES