[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24754-24755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11470]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project 
Improvement Act of 1992 (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 
(RRA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) developed and published 
the Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria). Note: 
For the purpose of this announcement, Water Management Plans are 
considered the same as Water Conservation Plans (Plans).

DATES: The final version is now available.

ADDRESSES: For copies contact Leslie Barbre, Bureau of Reclamation, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825, 916-978-5232 (TDD 978-
5608), or e-mail at [email protected]. Bryce White, Bureau of 
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825, 916-978-
5208 (TDD 978-5608), or e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To be placed on a mailing list for any 
subsequent information, please contact

[[Page 24755]]

Leslie Barbre or Bryce White at the e-mail address or telephone number 
above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are notifying the public that the 2002 
revision of the Criteria is final. Section 3405(e) of the CVPIA (Title 
34 Pub. L. 102-575), requires the Secretary of the Interior to 
establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project water 
conservation best management practices (BMPs) that shall develop 
Criteria for evaluating the adequacy of all Plans developed by project 
contractors, including those Plans required by section 210 of the RRA. 
Also, according to section 3405(e)(1), the Criteria must 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 Criteria states that all parties (Contractors) that contract 
with Reclamation for water supplies (except any contractor who receives 
under 2,000 acre feet, municipal and industrial contracts under 3,300 
people served, and agricultural contracts under 2,000 irrigable acres) 
must prepare Plans that contain the following information:

1. Description of the District
2. Inventory of Water Resources
3. BMPs for Agricultural Contractors
4. BMPs for Urban Contractors
5. Plan Implementation
6. Exemption Process
7. Regional Criteria
8. Five-Year Revisions

    Reclamation will evaluate Plans based on the Criteria. The CVPIA 
requires Reclamation to evaluate, and revise if necessary, the Criteria 
every 3 years. The Criteria were previously revised in 1996 and 1999.
    Public comment on revision of the 2002 Criteria was received and 
generally incorporated. No significant changes were made to the draft 
Criteria. A copy can be found at the following Web site: http://www.mp.usbr.gov/watershare/documents/files/cvpia/final2002cvpiacriteria.pdf. A copy can also be obtained by contacting 
persons at the address below. The 2002 Criteria will now be used to 
evaluate Plans submitted after the date of this publication

    Dated: May 1, 2003.
Donna E. Tegelman,
Regional Resources Manager, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 03-11470 Filed 5-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P