[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69240-69242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28996]


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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 August 5, 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, P.O. Box 25007, 
Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone (303) 445-2902.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with 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

[[Page 69241]]

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
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.

Modified Contract Action

    4. Pioneer Ditch Company, Boise Project, Idaho; Clark and Edwards 
Canal and Irrigation Company, Enterprise Canal Company, Ltd., 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 (Pub. L. 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, 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 (Pub. L. 
97-293). Contract with Fremont-Madison ID was executed on September 16, 
2002.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.

New Contract Action

    41. San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, U.S. Department of 
Veteran Affairs, Delta Division, CVP, California: Renewal of the long-
term water service contract for up to 850 acre-feet with conveyance 
through the California State Aqueduct pursuant to the CVP-SWP wheeling 
agreement.

Modified Contract Actions

    35. Sacramento Suburban WD (formerly Northridge WD), CVP, 
California: Execution of long-term Warren Act contract for conveyance 
of nonproject water. This contract will allow CVP facilities to be used 
to deliver nonproject water to the Sacramento Suburban WD for use 
within their service area.
    38. Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board, Cachuma Project, 
California: Long-term contract to transfer responsibility for O&M and 
O&M funding of certain Cachuma Project facilities to the member units.

Completed Contract Actions

    7. Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board, Cachuma Project, 
California: Repayment contract for SOD work on Bradbury Dam. Contract 
was executed July 1, 2002.
    12. Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board, Cachuma Project, 
California: Temporary interim contract (not to exceed 1 year) to 
transfer responsibility of certain Cachuma Project facilities to member 
units. Temporary interim contract executed on January 1, 2002, and 
expired on October 31, 2002.
    15. 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. Amendatory contract 
executed August 27, 2002.
    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 Actions

    49. All-American Canal, BCP, California: Agreement among 
Reclamation, Imperial ID, and Metropolitan WD to provide for the 
construction of lining for 23 miles of the All-American Canal, funded 
by the State of California.
    50. All-American Canal, BCP, California: Agreement among 
Reclamation, Imperial ID, Metropolitan WD, and Coachella Valley WD for 
the Federally funded construction of a reservoir(s) and associated 
facilities that will improve Reclamation's ability to regulate and 
manage Colorado River water.
    51. Pasquinelli, Gary J. and Barbara J., BCP, Arizona: Contract for 
the delivery of 486 acre-feet of Colorado River water for agricultural 
purposes.
    52. Sun City West Company, CAP, Arizona: Assignment of M&I 
subcontract rights and responsibilities to Arizona American Water 
Company.
    53. Sun City Company, CAP, Arizona: Assignment of M&I subcontract 
rights and responsibilities to Arizona American Water Company.
    54. Citizens Communications Company, Agua Fria Division, CAP, 
Arizona: Assignment of M&I subcontract rights and responsibilities to 
Arizona American Water Company.

Modified Contract Action

    24. ASARCO Inc., CAP, Arizona: Amendment of subcontract to extend 
the deadline until December 31, 2003, for giving notice of termination 
on exchange.

Completed Contract Action

    13. City of Needles, Lower Colorado Water Supply Project, 
California: Amend contract No. 2-07-30-W0280 to extend the City's water 
service subcontracting authority to the Counties of Imperial and 
Riverside.
    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

    22. City of Page, Arizona, Glen Canyon Unit, CRSP, Arizona: Long-
term contract for 1,000 acre-feet of water for municipal purposes.
    23. Castle Valley Special Service District, City of Huntington, 
Emery County Project: Assignment of contract for 189 acre-feet of water 
for municipal purposes.

Discontinued Contract Action

    19. Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Dolores Project, Colorado: Short-term 
(5-year) carriage contract with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to carry up 
to 3,500 acre-feet of nonproject water in project facilities under the 
authority of the Warren Act of 1911.

[[Page 69242]]

Completed Contract Action

    15. Mancos Water Conservancy District, Mancos Project, Colorado: 
Various carriage contracts with individual irrigators and the District 
to allow the carriage of up to 1,000 acre-feet of nonproject irrigation 
water in project facilities under the authority of Pub. L. 106-549 for 
the Mancos Project. Contracts executed June 10, 2002.
    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 Action

    43. Chippewa Cree Tribe, Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, Montana: 
Pursuant to Title II, section 201(a)(2), of the Rocky Boy's Indian 
Reserved Water Rights Settlement and Water Supply Enhancement Act of 
1999 (Pub. L. 106-163), Reclamation is negotiating to allocate 10,000 
acre-feet per year of stored water in Lake Elwell.

Modified Contract Actions

    8. Angostura ID, Angostura Unit, P-SMBP, South Dakota: An interim 
3-year contract was executed on June 9, 2000, to provide for a 
continuing water supply and allow adequate time for completion of the 
Environmental Impact Statement for long-term contract renewal. A BON 
for a long-term contract renewal has been approved by the 
Commissioner's Office. Contract negotiations for a long-term contract 
are expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year.
    31. Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Town of Chester water 
service contract expires December of 2002. Initiating negotiation for 
renewal of a long-term water service contract for an annual supply of 
raw water for domestic use from Tiber Reservoir 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.
    32. City of Dickinson, P-SMBP, Dickinson Unit, North Dakota: A 
temporary contract has been negotiated with the Park Board for minor 
amounts of water from Dickinson Dam. Negotiate a long-term water 
service contract with the City of Dickinson or Park Board, for minor 
amounts of water from Dickinson Dam.
    35. Pueblo Board of Water Works, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, 
Colorado: Water conveyance contract expires in October of 2002. On 
September 25, 2002, an amendment was executed to extend the contract 
term by 1 year, thereby extending the expiration date to October 1, 
2003. Initiating negotiations for renewal of a water conveyance 
contract for annual conveyance of up to 750 acre-feet of nonproject 
water through the Nast and Boustead Tunnel System.

Completed Contract Action

    39. La Feria ID, Lower Rio Grande Rehabilitation Project, La Feria 
Division, Texas: The District has repaid the repayment obligation and 
title to all project works, lands, or interests in lands originally 
conveyed by the District to the United States shall now be transferred 
back to the District in accordance with the authorizing legislation, 
Pub. L. 86-357 dated September 22, 1959, and the contract shall be 
terminated. Title to the project has been transferred to the District 
effective September 3, 2002.

    Dated: October 16, 2002.
Elizabeth Cordova-Harrison,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-28996 Filed 11-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P