[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 140 (Friday, July 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42377-42379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14488]


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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 contractual actions that have been 
proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, 
modified, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this 
notice on April 19, 2005. 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 consistent 
with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional 
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.

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 section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra L. Simons, Manager, Contract 
Services Office, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007, Denver, 
Colorado 80225-0007; telephone (303) 445-2902.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with section 9(f) of the 
Reclamation Project Act of 1939 and the rules and regulations published 
in 52 FR 11954, April 13, 1987 (43 CFR 426.22), Reclamation will 
publish notice of 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. 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 the 
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. 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. 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, 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. At a minimum, the regional director shall 
furnish revised contracts to all parties who requested the contract in 
response to the initial public notice.
    The March 10, 2005, notice should be used as a reference point to 
identify changes. The numbering system in this notice corresponds with 
the numbering system in the March 10, 2005, notice.

Definitions of Abbreviations Used in This Document

BCP--Boulder Canyon Project
Reclamation--Bureau of Reclamation
CAP--Central Arizona Project
CVP--Central Valley Project
CRSP--Colorado River Storage Project
FR--Federal Register
IDD--Irrigation and Drainage District
ID--Irrigation District
M&I--Municipal and Industrial
NMISC--New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission
O&M--Operation and Maintenance
P-SMBP--Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
PPR--Present Perfected Right
SOD--Safety of Dams
SRPA--Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956
WD--Water District

    Pacific Northwest Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis 
Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234, telephone (208) 378-5344.
    The Pacific Northwest Region has no updates to report for this 
quarter. Please refer to the March 10, 2005, publication of this notice 
for current contract actions.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone (916) 978-5250.


[[Page 42378]]


New contract actions:

    39. Mercy Springs WD, CVP, California: Proposed partial assignment 
of 2,825 acre-feet of Mercy Springs WD's CVP supply to San Luis WD for 
irrigation and M&I use.
    40. Oro Loma WD, CVP, California: Proposed partial assignment of 
4,000 acre-feet of Oro Loma WD's CVP supply to Westlands WD for 
irrigation and M&I use.
    41. San Luis WD, CVP, California: Proposed partial assignment of 
2,400 acre-feet of San Luis WD's CVP supply to Santa Nella County WD 
for M&I use.
    42. Placer County Water Agency, CVP, California: Proposed exchange 
agreement under Section 14 of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 of up 
to 74,000 acre-feet.

Modified contract actions:

    9. El Dorado ID, CVP, California: Execution of long-term Warren Act 
contracts for conveyance of nonproject water (one contract for Weber 
Reservoir and pre-1914 ``ditch'' rights in the amount of 3,344 acre-
feet, and one contract for Project 184 in the amount of 11,000 acre-
feet). The contracts will allow CVP facilities to be used to deliver 
nonproject water to El Dorado ID for use within its service area.
    22. City of Vallejo, Solano Project, California: Execution of long-
term Warren Act contract for conveyance of nonproject water. This 
contract will allow Solano Project facilities to deliver nonproject 
water to the City of Vallejo for use within its service area.
    23. Sacramento Suburban 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 
provided from the Placer County Water Agency to the Sacramento Suburban 
WD for use within its service area.
    26. 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. Contract executed 
February 28, 2005. Wheeling agreement for conveyance through the 
California State Aqueduct is pending.
    31. Delta Lands Reclamation District No. 770, CVP, California: 
Long-term Warren Act contract for conveying nonproject flood flows.

Discontinued contract Action:

    15. Plain View WD, CVP, California: Long-term Warren Act contract 
for conveyance of nonproject water in the Delta-Mendota Canal.

Completed contract actions:

    26. 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. Contract executed 
February 28, 2005. Wheeling agreement for conveyance through the 
California State Aqueduct is pending.
    34. Plain View WD, CVP, California: Reorganization and proposed 
full contract assignment of Plain View WD's CVP supply to Byron-Bethany 
ID. Contract was executed on March 14, 2005.
    Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 61470 
(Nevada Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, 
telephone (702) 293-8081.

Completed contract action:

    41. Golden Shores Water Conservation District, BCP, Arizona: Amend 
the district's contract to include the water allocation for Topock 
Village Estates within the district's boundaries.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone (801) 
524-3864.

Modified contract actions:

    6. Sanpete County Water Conservancy District, Narrows Project, 
Utah: Application for a SRPA loan and grant to construct a dam, 
reservoir, and pipeline to annually supply approximately 5,000 acre-
feet of water through a transmountain diversion from upper Gooseberry 
Creek in the Price River drainage (Colorado River Basin) to the San 
Pitch--Sevier River (Great Basin).
    31. Central Utah Project, Utah. Petition for project water among 
the United States, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and the 
Duchesne County Water Conservancy District for use of 2,500 acre-feet 
of irrigation water from the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah 
Project.

Completed contract actions:

    1.(a) Ron Connell, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: Mr. Connell has 
requested a 40-year water service contract for 6 acre-feet of water out 
of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Mr. Connell has submitted an augmentation plan 
to Water District 4, Case No. 04CW168. Contract was executed on 
February 2, 2005.
    1.(c) Dry West Nursery, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: Dry West 
Nursery has requested a 40-year water service contract for 3 acre-feet 
of water out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Dry West Nursery has submitted 
their augmentation plan to Water District 4, Case No. 04CW174. Contract 
was executed on March 2, 2005.
    21. Coon Creek Reservoir and Ditch Company, Collbran Project: The 
Coon Creek Reservoir and Ditch Company and the Collbran Conservancy 
District have requested a nonproject irrigation carriage contract (40-
year) to have 3 cfs, not to exceed 1,000 acre-feet annually, of their 
direct flow irrigation water rights diverted into and delivered through 
the existing Southside Canal, a feature of Collbran Project delivery 
structures. Contract was executed on May 26, 2005.
    22. Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Bonneville Unit, 
Central Utah Project, Utah: Negotiate a repayment contract for 60,000 
acre-feet per year of M&I water from the Utah Lake System. Contract was 
executed on March 15, 2005.
    24. Town of Palisade, Palisade ID, Mesa County ID, Reclamation, and 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; CRSP: The Colorado River is 
critical habitat for four endangered fish species. These agencies are 
entering into an agreement for each to provide the following: 
Reclamation shall provide cost-share funding for the recovery 
monitoring and research, and O&M (October 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1602, 
Pub. L. 106-392); the districts are willing to allow the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and Reclamation to construct the fish passage; and the 
Town of Palisade proposes to provide related safety features on or near 
the fish passage. Contract was executed on May 3, 2005.
    26. Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Colorado 
River Water Conservation District; Recovery Implementation Program for 
Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin: Reclamation 
will provide cost-share funding for enlargement of Elkhead Reservoir 
(October 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1602, Pub. L. 106-392) in a separate grant 
agreement. Contract was executed on February 15, 2005.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, 
telephone (406) 247-7752.

New contract actions:

    51. Bostwick ID; Superior-Courtland and Franklin Units, Bostwick 
Division, P-SMBP; Red Cloud, Nebraska: The district requested a 
deferment of its 2005 construction obligations in accordance with the 
Act of September 21, 1959.
    52. Kirwin ID No. 1; Kirwin Unit, Solomon Division, P-SMBP; 
Gaylord, Kansas: The district requested a deferment of its 2005 
construction obligations in accordance with the Act of September 21, 
1959.
    53. Webster ID; Webster Unit, Solomon Division, P-SMBP; Gaylord,

[[Page 42379]]

Kansas: The district requested a deferment of its 2005 construction 
obligations in accordance with the Act of September 21, 1959.
    54. Ainsworth ID; Ainsworth Unit, Sandhills Division, P-SMBP; 
Ainsworth, Nebraska: Contract renewal for a long-term water service 
contract.
    55. Pueblo West Metropolitan District, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, 
Colorado: Consideration of a request for a long-term contract for the 
use of excess capacity in the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.
    56. Mark H. Allredge, H.S. Properties LLC (Individual); Boysen 
Unit, P-SMBP; Wyoming: Renewal of long-term water service contract for 
up to 84 acre-feet of supplemental irrigation water to serve 84 acres.
    57. Western Heart River ID, P-SMBP, North Dakota: Amend existing 
power contract to allow for the installation of an additional pump site 
and to provide project use power to that site.

Modified contract actions:

    46. Buford-Trenton ID, Buford-Trenton Project, North Dakota: Amend 
existing power contract to provide for increase in project use pumping 
power rate of delivery and enter new repayment and power contract for 
additional project use pumping power for project purposes in irrigating 
bench lands existing within the district.
    47. East Bench ID; East Bench Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: The district 
requested a deferment of its 2005 construction obligation. A request is 
being prepared to amend Contract No. 14-06-600-3593 to defer payments 
in accordance with the Act of September 21, 1959.
    49. Frenchman Valley ID; Frenchman Unit, Frenchman-Cambridge 
Division, P-SMBP; Culbertson, Nebraska: The district requested a 
deferment of its 2005 construction obligation in accordance with the 
Act of September 21, 1959.
    50. Kansas-Bostwick ID No. 2; Courtland Unit, Bostwick Division, P-
SMBP; Courtland, Kansas: The district requested a deferment of its 2005 
construction obligations in accordance with the Act of September 21, 
1959.

Completed contract actions:

    12. Western Heart River ID; Heart Butte Unit, P-SMBP; North Dakota: 
Negotiation of water service contract to continue delivery of project 
water to the district. A new 40-year water service contract was 
executed on May 2, 2005.
    15. Morkrid Enterprises, Inc.; Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: 
Initiating a long-term contract for up to 3,751 acre-feet of storage 
water from Tiber Reservoir to irrigate 1,875 acres. A new 40-year 
repayment contract was executed on March 4, 2005.

    Dated: June 15, 2005.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Office of Program and Policy Services.
[FR Doc. 05-14488 Filed 7-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P