2012-10-29_PERMIT FILE - P2011012

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RM Potash Exploration Project DOI- BLM- CO -S010- 2009 -0076 1.0 PURPOSE & NEED 1.1 Introduction This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to disclose and analyze the environmental consequences of the RM Potash Exploration Project (Project), as proposed by RM Potash, Inc. An EA is a site - specific analysis of potential effects that could result with the implementation of a Proposed Action or alternatives to the Proposed Action. It assists the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in project planning and ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in making a determination as to whether any "significant" effects could result from the analyzed actions. "Significance" is defined by NEPA and is found in regulation 40 CFR 1508.27. An EA provides evidence for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a statement of "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI). If the decision maker determines that this Project has "significant" effects following the analysis in the EA, then an EIS would be prepared for the Project. If not, a Decision Record (DR) may be signed for the EA approving the selected alternative, whether the Proposed Action or another alternative. A DR, including a FONSI statement, documents the reasons why implementation of the selected alternative would not result in "significant" environmental effects (effects) beyond those already addressed in the San Juan/San Miguel Resource Management Plan (RMP) (December 1985). The Tres Rios Field Office (TRFO) of the BLM is responsible for implementing this RMP, including the lands where the proposed RM Potash Exploration Project would occur. The RM Potash Exploration Project EA has been prepared in accordance with NEPA of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500- 1508); the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976; the 1985 San Juan/San Miguel RMP and Record of Decision (ROD), and BLM guidance on implementing NEPA, including the BLM NEPA Handbook H- 1790 -1 (BLM 2008). Information gathered from federal, state, and local agencies, RM Potash, and publicly available literature, as well as in -house BLM sources such as the RMP, were used in the preparation of this EA. In this EA, the BLM is analyzing potential effects of approving up to six potassium prospecting permit applications and implementing the associated Exploration Plan(s) that RM Potash submitted for the proposed exploration Project. The exploration plan was initially submitted in December 2009, and was revised most recently in March of 2012 to reflect changes in drill pad size from 100 feet x 100 feet to 250 feet x 250 feet. These RM Potash Exploration Project 1 Environmental Assessment