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1.6 Conformance with BLM Land Use Plan <br />The Proposed Action is subject to and has been reviewed for conformance with the <br />following plan (43 CFR 1610.5, BLM 1617.3): <br />• Name of Plan: San Juan /San Miguel Resource Management Plan and Record of <br />Decision <br />• Date Approved /Amended: September 1985, as amended <br />Although the potassium exploration drilling is not explicitly mentioned in the plan, it is <br />consistent with the objectives, goals, and decisions as they relate to the management of <br />mineral resources as stated on pages 16 and 17 of the RMP. The San Juan/San Miguel <br />RMP and ROD from 1985 (BLM 1985) does not have a separate section covering solid <br />non - energy leasable minerals (i.e. potash), or the issuance of permits, licenses, or leases, <br />and the exploration drilling and mining activity that would be associated with them. <br />However, in the permit application areas, lands are open for all mineral activity, <br />including oil and gas leasing, and the effects of potash core hole drilling are very similar <br />to the drilling of petroleum stratigraphic test holes. The Mineral Management section of <br />Chapter 2 of the RMP ROD, on pages 16 and 17 states: <br />The following principles will guide the BLM in managing mineral resources on public <br />lands (per BLM Instruction Memorandum No. 84 -568, dated June 28, 1984). <br />1. Except for Congressional withdrawals, public lands shall remain open and <br />available for mineral exploration and development unless withdrawal or other <br />administrative action is clearly justified in the national interest. <br />2. BLM actively encourages and facilitates the development by private industry <br />of public land mineral resources so that national and local needs are satisfied <br />and economically and environmentally sound exploration, extraction, and <br />reclamation practices are provided. <br />3. BLM will process mineral patent applications, permits, operating plans, <br />mineral exchanges, leases, and other use authorizations for public lands in a <br />timely and efficient manner. <br />4. BLM's land use plans and multiple use management decisions will recognize <br />that mineral exploration and development can occur concurrently or <br />sequentially with other resource uses. BLM further recognizes that land use <br />planning is a dynamic process and decisions will be updated as new data are <br />evaluated. <br />5. Land use plans will reflect geologic, energy, and mineral values on public <br />lands through more effective data assessment of those values. <br />6. BLM will monitor saleable and leasable mineral operations to ensure proper <br />resource recovery and evaluation, production verification, diligence and <br />RM Potash Exploration Project 5 <br />Environmental Assessment <br />