[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 50329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24542]


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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 uses 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 reviewed by Reclamation by October 
25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to the address provided below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Slavin, Bureau of Reclamation, 
2800 Cottage Way, MP-402 Sacramento, CA 95825. To be placed on a 
mailing list for any subsequent information, please write Tracy Slavin 
or telephone at (916) 979-2384.

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
8. Implement, monitor, and update the water conservation plan

    The MP contractors listed below have developed water conservation 
plans which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined meet 
the requirements of the Criteria.
     Alpaugh Irrigation District.
     East Bay Municipal Utilities District.
     Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District.
    Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft) 
determinations at this time is invited. Copies of the plans 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 plans, 
please contact Mr. Slavin to find the office nearest you.

    Dated: September 17, 1996.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 96-24542 Filed 9-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M