What does Simplot do to monitor impacts to the ecology of the area?
An extensive environmental monitoring plan has been in place at Smoky Canyon since 1979, even before mining began in the area. Further, Simplot is e required to continue environmental monitoring after mining and reclamation is complete. Currently samples are collected from 45 surface water monitoring sites at the active site as well as the proposed extension area. Eight groundwater wells are routinely sampled at both the active site area and the proposed expansion area too. Other monitoring tasks include stormwater monitoring related to precipitation events, best management practice effectiveness monitoring, (which assures the mitigation measures being implemented are functioning as predicted), wildlife monitoring, fish population and tissue sampling, aquatic biota sampling (periphyton, algae, aquatic vegetation), macroinvertebrate tissue analysis and diversity monitoring, reclamation vegetation monitoring and cultural and paleontological resources monitoring. All of this data is provi
