00017948 Exhibit F ODOT Best Managment For Drilling Practice.docx

EXHIBIT F

ODOT BEST MANAGEMENT FOR DRILLING PRACTICES

Drilling generally occurs early in project development, before acquisition of the environmental permits and clearances necessary for the project that the drilling supports. Therefore, certain drilling activities may be subject to liability if damage to an environmental resource occurs. For example, drill fluids entering a salmon stream could result in "take" of a listed salmon species prior to completion of the ESA section 7 consultation for the primary action that the drilling supports. In that case, the "take" would not be covered by the incidental take statement for the project. The following Best Management Practices (BMPs) are hereby established to minimize potential for impacts on the environment and thereby reduce potential driller liability.

General Best Management Practices:

ODOT will always use the following BMPs to minimize its impacts on the surrounding environment during drilling. When drilling near aquatic resources, the BMPs listed below this section will also be used.

· The number and size of entry points or access roads into work areas will be minimized.

· Temporary and permanent erosion control will be used to minimize surface erosion. After drilling operations are completed the Project Geologist and drill crew will coordinate seeding and mulching of any disturbed earth.

· The drill crew will maintain and keep a spill cleanup kit at the drill site at all times.

· The drill crew will clean up any spills involving 10 gallons or less of hazardous material. The Hazmat Unit will clean up spills over 10 gallons. The Hazmat Unit will be notified of all spills regardless of size.

· The Environmental Coordinator or the Hazmat Section will be contacted if there are any questions about these BMPs.

Additional Best Management Practices when drilling near streams, rivers or wetlands:

ODOT recognizes that drilling activities near streams, rivers and wetlands have the potential to impact sensitive and/or protected aquatic species. Therefore, in addition to the BMPs listed above, ODOT will use the following BMPs when drilling near waterways or wetlands. The primary intent of these BMPs is to prevent any sediments, petroleum, and/or drilling fluids from entering aquatic resources and to minimize disturbance of critical habitat.

· The drill crew will contain or control any drill fluids that have the potential to enter a stream, river or wetland. This may entail the use of drill fluid recirculation, bio-bags, swale filtration, silt fencing, straw bales, or sediment ponds. Ditches and berms may also be used to direct and contain the fluids until they either evaporate or seep into the ground. Drill fluids will not be allowed to drain directly into aquatic resources.

· Erosion control devices (silt fences, straw bales, sediment ponds) will be installed to ensure negligible increases in ambient turbidity in adjacent and downstream systems.

· No equipment maintenance or refueling operations will take place within 300 feet of any stream, river or wetland.

· The following activities will be coordinated with the Environmental Coordinator before proceeding:

· In-water work.

· Removal of riparian vegetation.

· Installation of drilling roads in or near riparian areas, streams or wetlands.

In addition, the drill crew shall have the following items on hand during the drilling operations so that erosion control and sediment containment can take place if needed.

· 20 square meters of 6 - ml plastic sheeting

· 15 wooden stakes 900 mm minimum length

· 5 weed-free straw bales or 5 m straw wattles

· 10 bio-bags

· 10 m silt fence

· 1 dirt bag