Southern Empire Resources Corp. announced that subsequent to approval by the Imperial County Planning Commission (ICPC) at a hearing held on January 10, 2024, its subsidiary, SMP Gold Corp., has received a Notice of Determination approving the Reclamation Plan for the Oro Cruz Project Exploration Plan of Operations (the Plan) that governs the proposed exploration drill program at its wholly-owned Oro Cruz Project located in Imperial County, California. The proposed temporary drill pads, operational staging site and access routes occur within an encompassing 253 ha (626 acre) Project Area (as defined in the Plan) located in the southwest corner of the 184,000-acre Picacho Area of Critical Environmental Concern, the latter designated to include important biological habitats, indigenous people' cultural sites and the historic Cargo Muchacho - Tumco Mining District.

The Proposed Action is within areas previously disturbed by the historical American Girl Mining Joint Venture operations, which concluded in 1996 as gold prices declined and ultimately bottomed at USD251.70 in August of 1999. Highlights of the Plan include: Establishment of up to 65 drill pads in seven drill target areas Reverse Circulation (RC) and/or core drilling of up to 65 drill holes; Improvement and construction of temporary access roads; Creation of a staging area at the Cross Mine underground portal for infrastructure required to support future underground drill programs. At the January 10, 2024 hearing, the ICPC made the following determinations regarding the Proposed Action and the Reclamation Plan: The Oro Cruz Project will not have a significant effect on the environment. A Negative Declaration was prepared for the Oro Cruz Project pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The BLM's Decision Record and signed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), the Environmental Assessment/Mitigated Negative Declaration and other associated documents were posted for public review on September 1, 2023, online at the BLM NEPA Register. Although Oro Cruz Project approvals have now been received from both the BLM and Imperial County, these are being appealed by parties opposing mining in Imperial County. Stantec Consulting Services Inc., an international firm that liaises directly with both the BLM and the ICPD to prepare National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation for the BLM and coordinate the CEQA environmental review process with the ICPD.

WestLand Resources Inc., specialists in environmental engineering, permitting and planning, have completed the Oro Cruz Project baseline environmental and cultural studies and have provided services necessary to comply with both the NEPA and CEQA permitting requirements.