[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4230-4231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1887]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Intent to Solicit Public Comments on the Adoption of an Interim 
602(a) Storage Guideline for Management of the Colorado River and to 
Initiate a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice to solicit public comments and initiation of the NEPA 
process.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Department of the Interior (Secretary), 
acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), is considering 
the adoption of a specific interim guideline that will assist the 
Secretary in making a determination of the quantity of water considered 
necessary as of September 30 of each year, as required by article II 
(1) of the Criteria for Coordinated Long-Range Operation of Colorado 
River Reservoirs Pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 
September 30, 1968 (Long-Range Operating Criteria).

DATES: To be most useful, we must receive all comments at the address 
given below on or before March 14, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments to Tom Ryan, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, 
Utah 84138; faxogram (801) 524-5499; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year, the Secretary establishes an 
Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the Colorado River reservoirs. The AOP 
describes how Reclamation will manage the reservoirs over a 12-month 
period, consistent with the Long-Range Operating Criteria. Pursuant to 
applicable Federal law, Reclamation consults annually with the Colorado 
River Basin States, Indian tribes, and others interested parties in the 
development of the AOP. Further, as part of the AOP, the Secretary 
makes an annual determination under the Long-Range Operating Criteria 
regarding the quantity of water considered necessary as of September 30 
of each year to be in storage as required by section 602(a)(3) of the 
Colorado River Basin Project Act (602(a) Storage). This determination 
is important because when projected storage in the Upper Basin 
reservoirs is greater than 602(a) Storage, releases from Lake Powell 
are made according to article II (3) of the Long-Range Operating 
Criteria and section 602(a)(3).

[[Page 4231]]

These releases are commonly made to maintain, as nearly as practicable, 
active storage in Lake Mead equal to the active storage in Lake Powell. 
These releases are commonly referred to as ``equalization'' releases. 
When projected storage is less than 602(a) Storage, such equalization 
releases from Lake Powell are not made.
    In July 2000, Reclamation issued a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) on the proposed adoption of specific criteria under 
which surplus water conditions may be determined in the Lower Colorado 
River Basin for 15 years. During the public comment period on the DEIS, 
the seven Colorado River Basin States submitted information to the 
Department of the Interior that contained a proposal on interim surplus 
criteria and a number of other related issues. This information was 
published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2000 (65 FR 48531-38). 
One component of the Colorado River Basin States' proposal is section 
V, ``Determination of 602(a) Storage in Lake Powell During the Interim 
Period,'' and reads as follows:

    During the Interim Period, 602(a) storage requirements 
determined in accordance with article II (1) of the Criteria [Long-
Range Operating Criteria] shall utilize a value of not less than 
14.85 maf (elevation 3,630 feet) for Lake Powell (65 FR 48537).

    In December 2000, Reclamation issued a final environmental impact 
statement (FEIS) on the proposed adoption of specific criteria under 
which surplus water conditions would be determined in the Lower 
Colorado River Basin through the year 2016. The preferred alternative 
in the FEIS was based in large part on the Colorado River Basin States' 
proposal, but as noted in the FEIS, the preferred alternative did not 
contain all of the specific elements of the Basin States' proposal.
    On January 16, 2001, the Secretary signed the record of decision 
(ROD) for the Colorado River Interim Surplus Guidelines. The FEIS and 
the ROD did not consider or implement section V of the Colorado River 
Basin States' proposal (Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage). 
Representatives of the Colorado River Basin States have expressed an 
interest in having the Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage adopted by 
the Secretary, through the year 2016, in order to protect Upper Basin 
storage against the potential drawdown of Lake Mead storage that could 
occur due to dry hydrology and continued surplus deliveries from Lake 
Mead to the Lower Division States. The Colorado River Basin is now in 
its fourth consecutive year of drought.
    Under these circumstances, the Secretary believes that it may be 
prudent to adopt the Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage, or a 
reasonable alternative to it, as a guideline for making 602(a) Storage 
determinations during the period through 2016. As part of the process 
initiated by this notice, Reclamation will analyze the effects of the 
Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage on the Colorado River system.
    Reclamation will utilize a public process pursuant to NEPA during 
the analysis of the Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage guideline. By 
this notice, Reclamation invites all interested parties, including the 
Colorado River Basin States, Indian tribes, water users, members of the 
general public, organizations, and agencies to present written comments 
concerning the Basin States' proposed 602(a) Storage and the issues and 
alternatives that they believe should be analyzed.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home address 
of respondents, available for public review. Individual respondents may 
request that we withhold their home address from public disclosure, 
which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. If you wish us to 
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: November 22, 2002.
Rick L. Gold,
Regional Director--Upper Colorado Region.
[FR Doc. 03-1887 Filed 1-27-03; 8:45 am]
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