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RM Potash hopes to determine the thickness and grade of potash initially in any or all of <br />the six proposed drill hole locations presently under consideration in this EA, and <br />ultimately across the larger (approximately 40,000 acres) area covered by their 21 <br />prospecting permits. This would be done by additional drilling and other exploration <br />methods, such as seismic profiling or geologic mapping. Once the deposit has been <br />adequately delineated, RM potash could apply for preference right leases on those lands <br />(43 CFR 3507.11). BLM would need to prepare a mineral report based on the results of <br />exploration and determine whether RM Potash had indeed discovered a valuable deposit <br />of potash and whether the lands under permit application were chiefly valuable for potash <br />(as defined at 43 CFR 3501.5). <br />If RM Potash considers the results of the initial coring to be favorable, new drilling plans <br />for additional permit application areas may be submitted. However, because the locations <br />of future drilling would be based on data obtained through the proposed exploratory <br />drilling analyzed in this EA (if approved), future activities have yet to be determined and <br />are considered to be beyond the scope of this EA. Any additional drilling not analyzed in <br />this EA would be subject to additional NEPA review if later proposed. <br />RM Potash would be required to obtain all necessary permits from other agencies. In <br />coordination with appropriate state and federal regulatory agencies, RM Potash would <br />comply with all applicable state and federal drilling and exploration rules, regulations, <br />policies, orders, notices, guidelines, standards, etc. when conducting the proposed <br />exploration activities and operations. <br />1.3 Purpose(s) of the Proposed Action <br />The BLM is responsible for managing the public lands and federal mineral estate within <br />the prospecting permit areas. The BLM's purpose for the Proposed Action is to consider <br />authorization of six prospecting permit applications and exploration activities described <br />in the Exploration Plan(s). <br />1.4 Need for the Proposed Action <br />The need for the Proposed Action is established by BLM's responsibility to respond to <br />the Applications submitted by RM Potash under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as <br />amended (MLA) and FLPMA. <br />1.5 Decision to be Made <br />The BLM would decide which, if any prospecting permits submitted by RM Potash <br />would be approved or declined, and if so, under what terms and conditions. Prospecting <br />Permits are mineral leasing- related actions and decided by the BLM State Director (as <br />delegated), while exploration plans may be approved at the Field Office level. <br />RM Potash Exploration Project 4 <br />Environmental Assessment <br />