[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3307-3308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1495]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating
Water Conservation Plans
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of draft decision of evaluation of water conservation
plans.
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SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project
Improvement Act (CVPIA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)
developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation
Plans (Criteria) dated April 30, 1993. These Criteria were developed
based on information provided during public scoping and public review
sessions held throughout Reclamation's Mid-Pacific (MP) Region.
Reclamation uses these Criteria to evaluate the adequacy of all water
conservation plans developed by project contractors in the MP Region,
including those required by the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982. The
Criteria were developed and the plans evaluated for the purpose of
promoting the most efficient water use reasonably achievable by all MP
Region's contractors. Reclamation made a commitment (stated within the
Criteria) to publish a notice of its draft determination on the
adequacy of each contractor's water conservation plan in the Federal
Register and to allow the public a minimum of 30 days to comment on its
preliminary determinations. This program is on-going; an updated list
will be published to recognize districts as plans are revised to meet
the Criteria.
DATES: All public comments must be received by Reclamation by February
21, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to the address provided below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marsha Prillwitz, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-402
Sacramento CA 95825. To be placed on a mailing list for any subsequent
information, please write Marsha Prillwitz or telephone at (916) 979-
2397.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under provisions of Section 3405(e) of the CVPIA (Title 34 of
Public Law 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior] shall establish
and administer an office on Central Valley Project water conservation
best management practices that shall * * * develop criteria. For
evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans developed by
project contractors, including those plans required by section 210 of
the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.'' Also, according to Section
3405(e)(1), these criteria will be developed ``* * * with the purpose
of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency reasonably
achievable by project contractors using best available cost-effective
technology and best management practices.''
The MP Criteria states that all parties (districts) that contract
with Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial contracts
over 2,000 irrigable acre-feet and agricultural contracts over 2,000
irrigable acres) will prepare water conservation plans which will be
evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information
detailed in the steps listed below to develop, implement, monitor, and
update their water conservation plans. The steps are:
1. Coordinate with other agencies and the public.
2. Describe the district.
3. Inventory water resources.
4. Review the past water conservation plan and activities.
5. Identify best management practices to be implemented.
6. Develop schedules, budgets, and projected results.
7. Review, evaluate, and adopt the water conservation plan.
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8. Implement, monitor, and update the water conservation plan.
The MP contractor listed below has developed water conservation
plans which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined meet
the requirements of the Criteria.
Pacheco Water District.
Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft)
determinations at this time is invited. Copies of the plan listed above
will be available for review at Reclamation's MP Regional Office and
MP's area offices. If you wish to review a copy of the plan, please
contact Ms. Prillwitz to find the office nearest you.
Dated: January 10, 1997.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 97-1495 Filed 1-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M
