The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comment on a plan by a minerals company to expand operations at a site near the Great Salt Lake in Box Elder County.

The company, Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp., of Overland Park, Kan., wants to build ponds on 33,000 acres near the Great Salt Lake to extract potassium to produce sulfate of potash, a specialty fertilizer. Great Salt Lake Minerals already operates ponds on about 43,000 acres along the east and west shores of the Great Salt Lake.

At least 14 environmental groups have concerns about the expansion plans, saying it could harm wildlife in the area. Earlier this year, the state agreed to lease 23,088 acres to the company for new operations. The environmental groups appealed, and the Army Corps stepped in to study the environmental impacts of the planned expansion.

Public meetings will be held at the following locations from 5 until 9 p.m.:

• Today: South Davis Junior High School, 298 W. 2600 South, Bountiful

• Thursday: Ogden Nature Center, 966 W. 12th Street, Ogden

• Nov. 14: Airport Inn Hotel, 233 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City.

Comments will be accepted until Dec. 2.

For more information, log on to www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2007/November/Day-01