[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 150 (Monday, August 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50693-50695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19628]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other 
Water-Related 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 April 25, 2002. The January 31, 2002, 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: Sandra L. Simons, Manager, Water 
Contracts and Repayment Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, 
Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-445-2902.

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, April 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, February 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 2002. 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 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

BON--Basis of Negotiation
BCP--Boulder Canyon Project
Reclamation--Bureau of Reclamation
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

[[Page 50694]]

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 208-378-5223.

New Contract Action

    25. Twenty-three irrigation districts of the Arrowrock Division, 
Boise Project, Idaho: Repayment agreements with districts with 
spaceholder contracts for repayment, per legislation, of reimbursable 
share of costs to rehabilitate Arrowrock Dam Outlet Gates under the O&M 
program.

Modified Contract Action

    4. Pioneer Ditch Company, Boise Project, Idaho; Clark and Edwards 
Canal and Irrigation Company, Enterprise Canal Company, Ltd., Fremont-
Madison ID, Lenroot Canal Company, Liberty Park Canal Company, Poplar 
ID, all in the Minidoka Project, Idaho; and Juniper Flat District 
Improvement Company, Wapinitia Project, Oregon: Amendatory repayment 
and water service contracts; purpose is to conform to the RRA (Public 
Law 97-293).

Completed Contract Action

    4. Pioneer Ditch Company, Boise Project, Idaho; Clark and Edwards 
Canal and Irrigation Company, Enterprise Canal Company, Ltd., Fremont-
Madison ID, Lenroot Canal Company, Liberty Park Canal Company, Parsons 
Ditch Company, Poplar ID, Wearyrick Ditch Company, all in the Minidoka 
Project, Idaho; Juniper Flat District Improvement Company, Wapinitia 
Project, Oregon; and Gem, Ridgeview, and Owyhee IDs, Owyhee Project, 
Oregon: Amendatory repayment and water service contracts; purpose is to 
conform to the RRA (Public Law 97-293). Contracts with Parsons and 
Wearyrick Ditch Companies and Gem, Ridgeview, and Owyhee IDs were 
executed in April 2002.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.

New Contract Action

    40. Placer County Water Agency, CVP, California: Amendment of 
existing water service contract to allow for additional points of 
diversion and adjustment to Project water quantities. The amended 
contract will conform to current Reclamation law.

Modified Contract Action

    39. Sacramento River Settlement Contracts, CVP, California: Up to 
145 contracts and one contract with Colusa Drain Mutual Water Company 
will be renewed; water quantities for these contracts total 2.2M acre-
feet. Colusa Drain Mutual Water Company will be renewed for a period of 
25 years, and the rest will be renewed for a period of 40 years. These 
contracts will reflect an agreement to settle the dispute over water 
rights' claims on the Sacramento River.

Discontinued Contract Action

    24. Resource Renewal Institute, CVP, California: Proposed water 
purchase agreement with Resource Renewal Institute for the permanent 
purchase of water rights on Butte Creek for instream flow purposes.
    Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada 
Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 
702-293-8536.

New Contract Action

    48. Harquahala Valley ID, CAP, Arizona: The District has requested 
that Reclamation transfer title to the District's CAP Distribution 
System and assign to the District, permanent easements acquired by the 
United States. Title transfer of the District's CAP distribution system 
is authorized by Public Law 101-628 and contract No. 3-07-30-W0289 
between the District and Reclamation, dated December 8, 1992.

Completed Contract Actions

    34. Gila River Farms, Arizona: Amendment of SRPA contract to 
restructure the repayment schedule.
    38. Arizona State Land Department, CAP, Arizona: Proposed 
assignment of 1,000 acre-feet of the Department's CAP M&I water 
entitlement to the City of Peoria.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
4419.

New Contract Action

    21. Uintah Water Conservancy District, Jensen Unit, CUP, Utah: 
Contract to allow the District to use up to approximately 2,500 acre-
feet of project water for irrigation and M&I uses.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, 
telephone 406-247-7730.

Modified Contract Actions

    12. City of Cheyenne, Kendrick Project, Wyoming: Negotiation of a 
long-term contract for storage space. Contract for up to 10,000 acre-
feet of storage space for replacement water on a yearly basis in 
Seminoe Reservoir. A temporary contract has been issued pending 
negotiation of the long-term contract.
    30. Milk River Project, Montana: City of Harlem water service 
contract expires December of 2002. Initiating negotiation for renewal 
of a water service contract for an annual supply of raw water for 
domestic use from the Milk River not to exceed 500 acre-feet. An 
interim contract may be issued to continue delivery of water until the 
necessary actions can be completed to renew the long-term contract. A 
draft contract is available for review and public comment. Comments are 
due by August 15, 2002.
    42. Helena Valley Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: The long-term water 
service contract with the City of Helena, Montana, expires December 31, 
2004. Initiating negotiations for contract renewal for an annual supply 
of raw water for domestic and municipal and industrial use from Helena 
Valley Reservoir not to exceed 5,680 acre-feet of water annually.

Completed Contract Action

    11. P-SMBP, Kansas: Existing water service contracts with the 
Kirwin and Webster IDs in the Solomon River Basin in Kansas were 
extended for a period of 4 years in accordance with Public Law 104-326. 
These contracts will be renewed prior to their expiration on December 
31, 2003 (Kirwin ID), and December 31, 2005 (Webster ID). Reclamation 
has prepared a draft environmental assessment (DEA) for the conversion 
of long-term water service contracts to repayment contracts. On 
December 10, 2001, the DEA became available for a 30-day review and 
comment period. Public comments were accepted through January 9, 2002. 
Written comments were directed to Jill Manring, Team Leader, Bureau of 
Reclamation, PO Box 1607, Grand Island, NE 68802. Renewal of the 
existing water service contracts with the Kirwin and Webster IDs in the 
Solomon River Basin in Kansas was completed on June 20, 2002, with the 
contracts being converted to long-term repayment contracts. These 
contracts were renewed prior to their expiration. The draft 
environmental assessment was issued in December 2001. The final 
environmental assessment was revised to incorporate the environmental 
commitments, public comments, and responses, additional information, 
and corrections and/or editorial changes. The Finding of No Significant 
Impact

[[Page 50695]]

for the Conversion of Long-Term Water Service Contracts to Repayment 
Contracts was executed on June 14, 2002.

    Dated: July 10, 2002.
Sandra L. Simons,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-19628 Filed 8-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P