Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – August 29, 2024) – Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (CSE: NOP) (“NOP” or the “Company), a B.C. based company engaged in the exploration for organic sedimentary raw rock phosphate in Nevada, is pleased to announce that, NOP’s wholly owned subsidiary, Nevagro, has been informed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that the Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals for the Department of the Interior is currently reviewing the BLM’s press release for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision.

Once the official NEPA decision is received, NOP’s next step will be to submit the habitat reclamation bond to the Bonding Specialist at the BLM Nevada State Office. They will then forward the Prospecting Permit Application to the Deputy State Director (DSD) for Energy and Minerals at the BLM Nevada State Office for signature to issue the Prospecting Permit.

NOP is excited that the Prospecting Permit could be signed by the Deputy State Director (DSD) for Energy and Minerals at the BLM Nevada State Office in the weeks ahead.

Meanwhile, the exploration team is evaluating the lands under the 3 new Applications to Prospect while lining up the necessary drilling and site preparation contractors for the planned drill program.

Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc.

NOP is a junior exploration company with a sedimentary rock phosphate property (the “Murdock Property”) hosting a nearly flat lying sedimentary bed of known phosphate mineralization in NE Nevada.

The increasing interest in organic and sustainable agriculture practices has contributed to the demand for organic fertilizers, including those derived from rock phosphate. Organic rock phosphate is often marketed as a fertilizer that not only provides phosphorus but also contributes to overall soil health.

The Issuer aims to be one of the only certified organic rock phosphate producers with large scale potential in North America. The Murdock Property is situated adjacent to a main highway and the rail head to California.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services providers have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information (“FLSI”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. FLSI may include expectations, anticipations, beliefs, opinions, plans, intentions, estimates, forecasts, projections, guidance or other similar statements and information that are not historical facts. All statements which are not historical statements are considered FLSI. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated Prospecting Permit and the anticipated timing of its receipt. All FLSI is based on assumptions, which may prove inaccurate, and subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those risks and uncertainties identified in the Company’s public securities filings, which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated or implied in FLSI. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance or value on FLSI. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in any FLSI in this news release are reasonable at the present time, it can give no assurance that such FLSI will prove to be correct. Any FLSI in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to publicly update or revise any FLSI, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. Any FLSI in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221517

A local power cooperative in Pahrump was awarded an $80.3 million federal loan for a solar project that would produce enough electricity to power 3,500 homes in the Pahrump and the Fish Lake Valley region.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to invest $140 million for solar in rural communities in Kentucky and Nevada. Investment funds for the projects were sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Valley Electric Association, an energy cooperative based in Pahrump, plans to use its $80.3 million investment to install a 37-megawatt solar power generation and storage system that would serve a portion of their 20,100 members in Pahrump and the Fish Lake Valley region. 

Valley Electric Association was selected for the investment after committing to lower electricity rates for their members while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The project is also expected to strengthen the energy grid and keep critical services powered in the region. 

“We put a lot of effort into rural development with these new Inflation Reduction Act investments in making sure that it is reaching the hardest to reach places and communities that are often underserved,” USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said.

In Nye County, home to the growing city of Pahrump, up to 40% of the population has three or more socioeconomic risk factors – high poverty rates, age, and low educational attainment, for example – that would make it difficult for them to absorb, endure, and recover from climate disasters, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment — a congressionally mandated report due roughly every five years

“Rural people deserve continued energy opportunities as demand for clean energy increases,” Torres Small said. “The Biden-Harris Administration is working to make sure efforts to tackle climate change also help grow the local economy.”

The solar project is still in the initial stages of permitting, meaning it may take years for construction to start.

Valley Electric Association is one of approximately 900 member-owned electric cooperatives in the U.S., according to the power company. Valley Electric serves communities participating in the Rural Partners Network (RPN), a USDA-led collaboration between federal, state and local partners to help underserved communities access federal funding.

Both the projects selected in Kentucky and Nevada are part of the USDA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936, according to the agency.

So far, USDA has announced more than $665 million of investments selected to proceed under the PACE program. The investment for Valley Electric Association marks the first project funded under the program in Nevada. Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, and Nebraska have already received investments.

Last year, the USDA made $1 billion available through PACE to fund new clean energy projects and energy storage in rural America. The program provides low-interest loans with up to 60% loan forgiveness to renewable energy developers, rural electric cooperatives and other rural energy providers for renewable energy storage and projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass.

Nye County officials, including in Pahrump, have expressed some reluctance to embrace utility-scale solar projects. 

Pahrump, the county’s most populous town, has been plagued by declining groundwater levels with domestic well failures increasing annually, according to county officials. Nye County officials expressed concern that cumulative solar development in the basin would only worsen the county’s water woes.

However, the county is also the site of some of the largest planned solar projects in the state, including the 2,250 megawatt Chill Sun Solar Project along the U.S.95, and the 700 megawatt Copper Rays Solar Project southwest of Pahrump.

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As temperatures remain high, many seniors in Southern Nevada are struggling to keep up with their utility bills. But there’s help available today, thanks to Project Reach Senior Expos powered by NV Energy.

Project REACH, an initiative by United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN), is a program that assists seniors aged 62 and older with their past-due utility bills. These bills can include electricity, gas, water, and sewage.

RELATED STORY | United Way hosting Las Vegas events to help seniors with past-due utility bills

Thursday’s Senior Expo will be held at Aliante Casino from 8 a.m. to noon. Seniors who qualify for assistance are encouraged to attend. All they need to bring is their past-due bill, proof of income, and a Nevada ID to receive help.

“We have a number of non-profit organizations that are specialized to serving the unique needs of senior citizens. We have state assistance programs such as Cox Communications, and healthcare agencies, so we have a whole host available to senior citizens,” said Angel Williams, Director of Community Relations at NV Energy.

Eligibility and Assistance

To qualify for Project REACH assistance, seniors must be:

• 62 years or older
• Residents of Southern Nevada
• Meeting the income eligibility requirements
• Possessing a past-due utility bill

Qualifying applicants can receive up to $300 in assistance once a year, making a significant difference in their ability to manage utility expenses.

Can’t Attend the Event?

For seniors who are unable to attend today’s expo, there are still options available. Project REACH assistance is offered year-round through UWSN’s nonprofit partner agencies. Those in need can visit uwsn.org/projectreach to find support with the application process.