[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 84 (Tuesday, April 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19087-19089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10577]



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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 February 5, 1996. The February 5, 1996, 
notice should be used as a reference point to identify changes. The 
number in parenthesis corresponds to the number in the February 5, 
notice. This notice is one means in which the public is informed about 
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 new 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 any 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, Contract, and Repayment Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 
25007,

[[Page 19088]]

Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-236-1061 extension 224.

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 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 1996. 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 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 area 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 request 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
(O&M) Operation and Maintenance
(P-SMBP) Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
(R&B) Rehabilitation and Betterment
(SRPA) Small Reclamation Projects Act
(WCUA) Water Conservation and Utilization Act
(WD) Water District

    The following contract actions are either new, modified, 
discontinued, or completed in the Bureau of Reclamation since the 
February 5, 1996 Federal Register notice.
    Pacific Northwest Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis 
Road, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234, telephone 208-378-5346.
    1. New Contract Actions:
    (20) South Boise Mutual Irrigation Company, Ltd. and United Water 
Idaho, Boise project, Idaho: Agreement amending contracts to approve 
the acquisition and municipal use of Anderson Ranch Reservoir water by 
United Water Idaho, and the transfer of Lucky Peak Reservoir water to 
the United States.
    2. Contract Actions Modified:
    (12) North Unit Irrigation District, Deschutes Project, Oregon: 
Municipal water service contract for approximately 125 acre-feet 
annually from the project water supply. This water supply was 
previously under contract with City of Madras; contract expired.
    (16) Stanfield and Westland Irrigation Districts and 69 individual 
contractors, Umatilla Project, Oregon: Repayment contracts for 
reimbursable cost of dam safety repairs to McKay Dam. Modified to 
included 69 individual contractors.
    3. Contract Actions Completed:
    (19) Hermiston, Stanfield, Westland, and West Extension Irrigation 
Districts, Umatilla Project, Oregon: Temporary contracts to provide 
water service for 1996 to lands lying outside of their boundaries. 
(Contract for 1996 has been executed with Westland Irrigation 
District.)
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5030.
    1. New Contract Actions:
    (19) Colusa County Water District, CVP, California: Amendment of 
existing distribution system repayment contract to allow for delivery 
of M&I water through the distribution system and payment of interest by 
the District for the portion of the costs of the distribution system 
allocated to the conveyance of the M&I water.
    2. Contracts Actions Modified:
    (9) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish 
and Game, Grassland WD, CVP, California: Water service contracts to 
provide water supplies for refuges and private wetlands within the CVP 
pursuant to Federal Reclamation Laws; exchange agreements and wheeling 
contracts to deliver some of the increased refuge water supplies; 
quantity to be contracted for is approximately 450,000 acre-feet.
    (3) Contract Actions Completed:
    (10) San Juan Water District, CVP, California: Execute Warren Act 
contract to replace expiring long-term wheeling contract with San Juan 
WD and the Placer County Water Agency allowing the Agency to use CVP 
facilities to deliver its water to the District for use on District 
land within Placer County. Action: Contract executed February 29, 1996.
    Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada 
Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 
702-293-8536.
    1. New Contract Actions:
    (48) City of Yuma, BCP, Arizona: Proposed supplemental and 
amendatory water delivery contract to amend the city's 50,000 acre-feet 
of Colorado River water diversion entitlement to a 50,000 acre-feet 
consumptive use entitlement.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
4419.

[[Page 19089]]

    1. New Contract Actions:
    (23) Ragged Mountain Water User Association, Paonia Project, 
Colorado; renewal for 5 years of an existing Supplemental Water Sales 
Contract No. 1-07-4-R1310 for the right to divert annually 2,000 acre-
feet of Paonia Project water from storage in Paonia Reservoir.
    (24) Collbran Conservancy District and Fourteen Private Ditch 
owners, Collbran Project, Colorado: 5-year water carriage agreements 
for nonproject irrigation water.
    (25) Strawberry Water Users Association, Strawberry Valley Project, 
Utah: Contract to authorize the conversion of up to 71,000 acre-feet of 
irrigation water to municipal and industrial use, the replacement of 
some project facilities, and participation in construction of the 
Spanish Fork System with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, 
telephone 406-247-7730.
    1. New Contract Action:
    (23) Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Kansas and Nebraska; 
Negotiate interim water service contracts with irrigation districts in 
the Republican River Basin in Kansas and Nebraska to continue delivery 
of the project water supplies pending completion of contract renewal 
process for renewal of long-term water supply contracts.

    Dated: April 15, 1996.
Wayne O. Deason,
Assistant Director, Program Analysis Office.
[FR Doc. 96-10577 Filed 4-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P