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employed. All Project vehicles would have legally mandated on -board emission controls; <br />traffic and drilling would only create a small amount of dust. Effects to air quality would <br />be short term and negligible. <br />1.9.2 Paleontological Resources <br />A Project - specific paleontological survey was completed for the Project (Blair 2011). No <br />fossil resources were observed with the exception of a single pebble, which may have <br />been a gastrolith (i.e., a stone swallowed to aid in digestion) at proposed Drill Site 3. If <br />any suspected vertebrate paleontological resources are uncovered during the Project, <br />disturbance would cease and BLM would be notified to determine the significance and <br />need for documentation and protection. <br />1.9.3 Special Designations <br />The Project Area is not within any special designation areas (i.e. Wilderness, Wilderness <br />Study Areas, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Wild and Scenic Rivers, research <br />natural areas). The area is identified as natural landscape with limited management and <br />is near areas identified as special areas and unique landscapes (BLM and USFS 2007). <br />1.9.4 Potash Production Concerns <br />Several public comments (BLM 2011a) expressed concerns regarding the potential <br />effects of leasing and commercial potash production and recovery facilities, such as the <br />demands on infrastructure, requirements of natural gas pipelines, emissions from boilers, <br />the amount of water required for potash pumping, potential subsidence, and other <br />geotechnical issues. These concerns cannot be meaningfully evaluated until the potash <br />deposit has been adequately delineated and a mining and production plan has been <br />proposed. If exploration results indicate that economically viable potash resources may <br />be present and a leasing or production proposal is received, these concerns will be fully <br />evaluated in a site - specific NEPA document or documents analyzing the effects of <br />leasing and development of the resource. <br />1.9.5 Public Health and Safety <br />Many of the drilling activities associated with the Project can be dangerous without <br />proper precautions. General risks to public health and safety that may be associated with <br />this Project include, but are not limited to, encountering hydrogen sulfide gas in <br />subsurface formations, possibly drilling through over - pressured and /or under - pressured <br />formations potentially resulting in well control problems, and potential health issues <br />related to working around oil -based mud systems. At a minimum, the Project would be <br />adhering to all applicable state and federal mining and oil and gas drilling regulations, <br />rules, policies, orders, and notices, in order to eliminate potential risks to public health <br />and safety. <br />RM Potash Exploration Project 12 <br />Environmental Assessment <br />