97-33989. Proposed Rule Making for Offstream Storage of Colorado River Water and Interstate Redemption of Storage Credits in the Lower Division States

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 68466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33989]



[[Page 68465]]

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Part V





Department of the Interior





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Bureau of Reclamation



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Proposed Rule Making for Offstream Storage of Colorado River Water and 
Interstate Redemption of Storage Credits in the Lower Division States; 
Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / 
Notices

[[Page 68466]]



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Proposed Rule Making for Offstream Storage of Colorado River 
Water and Interstate Redemption of Storage Credits in the Lower 
Division States

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft programmatic environmental 
assessment (DPEA).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (as 
amended), the Bureau or Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a DPEA 
on proposed rule making for offstream storage of Colorado River water 
and interstate redemption or use of storage credits in the lower 
Division States. The proposed rule is intended to encourage further 
cooperation among the Lower Division States in resolving common water 
resource problems and demands. The proposed rule would establish a 
procedural framework under which authorized entities in the Lower 
Division States could store offstream certain Colorado River water, 
develop storage credits associated with that water, and use those 
credits within the Lower Division.

ADDRESSES: For copies of the DPEA, write to either (1) Mr. James Green, 
LC-2506, Environmental Compliance and Realty Group, Resource Management 
Office (Mead Bldg), Lower Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of 
Reclamation, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006-1470; or (2) Bureau 
of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Liaison, 1849 C St. NW, 
Washington, DC 20240, telephone [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. James Green at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DPEA describes the present status of 
river operations in the Lower Colorado River Basin and analyzes 
potential impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed 
rule. A programmatic approach has been adopted because many of the 
details of specific interstate agreements under the proposed rule 
cannot be ascertained at this time. Such agreements would be subject to 
approval by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary). Appropriate 
environmental compliance documentation will be prepared on a case-by-
case basis prior to the Secretary's approval of an interstate 
agreement. The public comment period for the proposed rule and the DPEA 
will run concurrently. Comments will be accepted through March 2, 1998. 
If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods. You may mail or hand-deliver comments to Mr. James 
Green at the address noted in ADDRESSES above. You may also comment via 
the Internet at [e-mail]. If you comment via the Internet 
at this address please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also 
include ``attn: AC1006-AA40'' and your name and return address in your 
Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system 
that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly at 
[phone]. Upon request, Reclamation will hold informational 
meetings on the DPEA in January or February 1998. Reclamation will 
accept requests for informational meetings until 4:00 p.m. Pacific time 
on January 30, 1998. If Reclamation receives a request to hold an 
informational meeting(s), Reclamation will notify interested parties of 
the time and location of the meeting(s).
    The DPEA has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as amended, and (2) regulations 
of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural 
provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508).

    Dated: December 22, 1997.
R. Steven Richardson,
Director, Policy and External Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-33989 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M