BLM Approval Received for Drilling at Southern Empire’s Oro Cruz Project - Seite 2

The EA/MND analyzed the affected environment and environmental impacts and established environmental protection measures to avoid or mitigate conflicts with, and undue degradation of, natural, cultural, and historic resources associated with the Proposed Action.

The BLM's approval of the Proposed Action, as described in the Plan and the EA/MND complies with federal and state laws related to environmental protection and the protection of cultural resources and is in conformance with applicable land use plans, laws, and regulations and that it will not cause unnecessary or undue degradation. In addition, the BLM has determined that the Oro Cruz Project is "reasonably incident" to mining and would attain the stated level of protection and reclamation required by specific laws in the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA).

Public and Regulatory Involvement in Oro Cruz Project Permitting

The Plan was initially submitted to the BLM's El Centro Field Office on September 28, 2020.

The BLM, following its procedural review, determined on November 16, 2021 that the Plan was administratively and technically complete and consistent with U.S. federal surface management regulations.

Environmental, biological, cultural, hydrological and other baseline studies were completed in preparation for analysis in the permitting processes.

The BLM published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register and on March 4, 2022, issued a press release announcing that the BLM was initiating an environmental review, seeking public input regarding the Plan and implementing a NEPA-required 30-day public scoping period regarding the Oro Cruz Project. The public scoping period ended on April 4, 2022, with six public scoping comment letters received, one from a federal agency and five from public interest organizations.

A 582-page Reclamation Plan for compliance with the State of California's Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) was prepared and submitted to the California Department of Conservation's Division of Mine Reclamation (DMR) for their review on June 24, 2022. The Reclamation Plan was considered to be complete subsequent to DMR's review and comments received on October 28, 2022. This document is available at: SMP - Oro Cruz Project, Imperial County, California - Reclamation Plan 20220928.