[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22640-22642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10470]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Quarterly Status Report of Water Service and Repayment Contract
Negotiations
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of proposed contractual actions that
are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last
publication of this notice on January 22, 1999. The January 22, 1999,
notice should be used as a reference point to identify changes. This
notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about
proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of
project resources and facilities. Additional Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) announcements of individual contract actions may be
published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general
circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by
the proposed action. Announcements may be in the form of news releases,
legal notices, official letters, memorandums, or other forms of written
material. Meetings, workshops, and/or hearings may also be used, as
appropriate, to provide local publicity. The public participation
procedures do not apply to proposed contracts for sale of surplus or
interim irrigation water for a term of 1 year or less. Either of the
contracting parties may invite the public to observe contract
proceedings. All public participation procedures will be coordinated
with those involved in complying with the National Environmental Policy
Act.
ADDRESSES: The identity of the approving officer and other information
pertaining to a specific contract proposal may be obtained by calling
or writing the appropriate regional office at the address and telephone
number given for each region in the supplementary information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alonzo Knapp, Manager, Reclamation
Law, Contracts, and Repayment Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box
25007, Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-445-2889.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 226 of the Reclamation
Reform Act of 1982 (96 Stat. 1273) and 43 CFR 426.20 of the rules and
regulations published in 52 FR 11954, Apr. 13, 1987, Reclamation will
publish notice of the proposed or amendatory contract actions for any
contract for the delivery of project water for authorized uses in
newspapers of general circulation in the affected area at least 60 days
prior to contract execution. Pursuant to the ``Final Revised Public
Participation Procedures'' for water resource-related contract
negotiations, published in 47 FR 7763, Feb. 22, 1982, a tabulation is
provided of all proposed contractual actions in each of the five
Reclamation regions. Each proposed action is, or is expected to be, in
some stage of the contract negotiation process in 1999. When contract
negotiations are completed, and prior to execution, each proposed
contract form must be approved by the Secretary of the Interior, or
pursuant to delegated or redelegated authority, the Commissioner of
Reclamation or one of the regional
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directors. In some instances, congressional review and approval of a
report, water rate, or other terms and conditions of the contract may
be involved.
Public participation in and receipt of comments on contract
proposals will be facilitated by adherence to the following procedures:
1. Only persons authorized to act on behalf of the contracting
entities may negotiate the terms and conditions of a specific contract
proposal.
2. Advance notice of meetings or hearings will be furnished to
those parties that have made a timely written request for such notice
to the appropriate regional or project office of Reclamation.
3. Written correspondence regarding proposed contracts may be made
available to the general public pursuant to the terms and procedures of
the Freedom of Information Act (80 Stat. 383), as amended.
4. Written comments on a proposed contract or contract action must
be submitted to the appropriate regional officials at the locations and
within the time limits set forth in the advance public notices.
5. All written comments received and testimony presented at any
public hearings will be reviewed and summarized by the appropriate
regional office for use by the contract approving authority.
6. Copies of specific proposed contracts may be obtained from the
appropriate regional director or his designated public contact as they
become available for review and comment.
7. In the event modifications are made in the form of a proposed
contract, the appropriate regional director shall determine whether
republication of the notice and/or extension of the comment period is
necessary.
Factors considered in making such a determination shall include,
but are not limited to: (i) The significance of the modification, and
(ii) the degree of public interest which has been expressed over the
course of the negotiations. As a minimum, the regional director shall
furnish revised contracts to all parties who requested the contract in
response to the initial public notice.
Acronym Definitions Used Herein
(BCP)--Boulder Canyon Project
(CAP)--Central Arizona Project
(CUP)--Central Utah Project
(CVP)--Central Valley Project
(CRSP)--Colorado River Storage Project
(D&MC)--Drainage and Minor Construction
(FR)--Federal Register
(IDD)--Irrigation and Drainage District
(ID)--Irrigation District
(M&I)--Municipal and Industrial
(NEPA)--National Environmental Policy Act
(O&M)--Operation and Maintenance
(P-SMBP)--Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
(PPR)--Present Perfected Right
(RRA)--Reclamation Reform Act
(R&B)--Rehabilitation and Betterment
(SOD)--Safety of Dams
(SRPA)--Small Reclamation Projects Act
(WCUA)--Water Conservation and Utilization Act
(WD)--Water District
Pacific Northwest Region
Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise,
Idaho 83706-1234, telephone 208-378-5346.
The Pacific Northwest Region has no updates to report for this
quarter. Please refer to the January 22, 1999, publication of this
notice for current contract actions.
Mid-Pacific Region
Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California
95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
New Contract Actions
36. Contra Costa WD, CVP, California: Amend water service contract
No. I75r-3401 for the purpose of renegotiating the provisions of
contract Article 12, ``Water Shortage and Apportionment,'' to conform
to current CVP M&I water shortage policy.
37. Plain View WD, CVP, California: Long-term Warren Act contract
for conveyance of non-project water in the Delta-Mendota Canal.
38. City of Redding, CVP, California: Amend water contract No. 14-
06-200-5272A for the purpose of renegotiating the provisions of
contract Article 15, ``Water Shortage and Apportionment,'' to conform
to current CVP M&I water shortage policy.
39. Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority, CVP, California: Amendment of
existing long-term O&M agreement to also include the O&M of the Red
Bluff Diversion Dam and related facilities.
Modified Contract Actions
2. Contractors from the American River Division, Buchanan Unit,
Colusa Basin Drain, Cross Valley Canal, Delta Division, East Side
Division, Friant Division, Hidden Unit, Sacramento River Division, San
Felipe Division, Shasta Division, Trinity River Division, and West San
Joaquin Division, CVP, California: Renewal of existing long-term and
interim renewal water service contracts with contractors whose
contracts expire between 2000 and 2001; water quantities for these
contracts total in excess of 5.6M acre-feet. These contract actions
will be accomplished through long-term renewal contracts pursuant to
Public Law 102-575. Prior to completion of negotiation of long-term
renewal contracts, existing interim renewal water service contracts may
be renewed through successive interim renewal of contracts.
4. Sacramento River settlement contractors, CVP, California:
Administrative policy for voluntary contract assignments which provides
for repayment of O&M deficit(s), and payment by assignee of the CVP
cost-of-service rate as determined in accordance with the current CVP
ratesetting policy.
14. Mercy Springs WD, CVP, California: Assignment of District's
water service contract to Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. The
assignment will provide for delivery of up to 13,300 acre-feet annually
of water to the Agency from the CVP for agricultural purposes. Interim
assignment up to 6,260 acre-feet of water annually to Westlands and
Santa Clara Valley WDs until the Agency completes their water project.
17. M&T, Inc., Sacramento River Water Rights Contractors, CVP,
California: A proposed exchange agreement with M&T, Inc., to take Butte
Creek water rights water from the Sacramento River in exchange for CVP
water to facilitate habitat restoration.
32. Tuolumne Utilities District (formerly Tuolumne Regional WD),
CVP, California: Long-term water service contract for up to 9,000 acre-
feet from New Melones Reservoir, and possibly long-term contract for
storage of non-project water in New Melones Reservoir.
Discontinued Contract Actions
9. Mountain Gate Community Services District, CVP, California:
Amendment of existing long-term water service contract to include right
to renew. This amendment will also conform the contract to current
Reclamation law, including Public Law 102-575.
25. Centerville Community Services District, CVP, California: A
long-term supplemental repayment contract for reimbursement to the
United States for conveyance costs associated with CVP water conveyed
to Centerville.
Completed Contract Actions
16. Stony Creek WD, Black Butte Dam and Lake, Sacramento River
Division,
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CVP, California: Proposed amendment of Stony Creek Water District's
water service contract, No. 2-07-20-W0261, to allow the Contractor to
change from paying for all project water, whether used or not, to
paying only for project water scheduled or delivered and to add another
month to the irrigation period. Contract awarded January 13, 1999.
Lower Colorado Region
Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada Highway and Park
Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 702-293-8536.
Modified Contract Actions
1. Milton and Jean Phillips, Cameron Brothers Construction Co.,
Ogram Farms, Bruce Church, Inc., and Sunkist Growers, Inc., BCP,
Arizona: Water service contracts, as recommended by Arizona Department
of Water Resources, with agricultural entities located near the
Colorado River for up to 15,557 acre-feet per year total.
2. Arizona State Land Department, State of Arizona, BCP, Arizona:
Contract for 6,607 acre-feet per year of Colorado River water for
agricultural use and related purposes on State-owned land. Modified to
include Kenneth or Ann Easterday and Robert E. Harp, Co., previously in
item No. 1.
4. Brooke Water Co. and Havasu Water Co., BCP, Arizona: Contracts
for additional M&I allocations of Colorado River water to entities
located along the Colorado River in Arizona for up to 2,610 acre-feet
per year as recommended by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Discontinued Contract Actions
1. Kenneth or Ann Easterday and Robert E. Harp, Co., BCP, Arizona:
To be included in Arizona State Lands Department contract, item No. 2.
Completed Contract Actions
1. Clayton Farms, BCP, Arizona: Water service contract, as
recommended by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Completed as
Raynor Ranches for Colorado River water for up to 4,500 acre-feet per
year total.
4. Town of Quartzsite, BCP, Arizona: Contract for additional M&I
allocation of Colorado River water to entities located along the
Colorado River in Arizona for up to 1,070 acre-feet per year as
recommended by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
30. Mr. Robert H. Chesney, BCP, Arizona: Amend contract No. 5-07-
30-W0321 to increase the cubic-foot-per-second diversion and facilitate
the installation of a low-lift pump.
Upper Colorado Region
Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-4419.
New Contract Actions
18. Carlsbad ID, Carlsbad Project, New Mexico: Contract to provide
for repayment of the District's 15 percent share of proposed
modifications to Avalon Dam under the SOD program.
Modified Contract Actions
1(b) City of Page, Arizona, Glen Canyon Unit, CRSP, Arizona: Long-
term contract for 1,000 acre-feet of water for municipal purposes.
1(c) LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation, Glen Canyon Unit, CRSP,
Arizona: Long-term contract for 1,000 acre-feet of water for municipal
purposes.
13. Public Service Company of New Mexico, Navajo Unit, CRSP, New
Mexico: New water service contract for diversion of 16,700 acre-feet,
not to exceed a depletion of 16,200 acre-feet of project water for
cooling purposes for a steam electric generation plant.
Completed Contract Actions
6. Carlsbad ID, Carlsbad Project, New Mexico: Multi-year contract
to allow the District to lease water to the New Mexico Interstate
Stream Commission to fulfill New Mexico's water obligation to Texas
under Supreme Court's Amended Decree in Texas v. New Mexico 485 U.S.
288(1988).
Great Plains Region
Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal Building, 316 North
26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, telephone 406-247-7730.
New Contract Actions
37. Fort Shaw and Greenfields IDs, Sun River Project, Montana:
Contract for additional SOD costs for repairs to Willow Creek Dam. In
the process of preparing basis of negotiation for Greenfields ID.
38. Green Mountain Project, Colorado: Reclamation is currently
developing a contract for surplus HUP water for municipal/recreational
purposes in the Grand Valley. This contract is to benefit the
endangered fish recovery.
Modified Contract Actions
3. Ruedi Reservoir, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: Second
round water sales from the regulatory capacity of Ruedi Reservoir.
Water service and repayment contracts for up to 17,000 acre-feet
annually for M&I use; contract with Colorado Water Conservation Board
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 21,650 acre-feet for
endangered fishes.
32. Savage ID, P-SMBP, Montana: Negotiating a long-term irrigation
contract.
36. Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: This contract action
amends contract No. 9-07-70-W099 with Busk-Ivanhoe, Inc.
Discontinued Contract Actions
30. Public Service Company of Colorado: Agreement to furnish
surplus water from the historic users pool at Green Mountain Reservoir
for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power at the Grand Valley
Powerplant, Palisades, Colorado.
Dated: April 20, 1999.
Wayne O. Deason,
Deputy Director, Program Analysis Office.
[FR Doc. 99-10470 Filed 4-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P
