[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30159-30162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8005]


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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 February 23, 2006. 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.

[[Page 30160]]

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, PO 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 February 23, 2006, notice should be used as a reference point 
to identify changes. The numbering system in this notice corresponds 
with the numbering system in the February 23, 2006, 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
RRA--Reclamation Reform Act of 1982
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.
New Contract Actions
    18. Three irrigation water user entities, Boise Project, Idaho: 
Amendatory repayment contract with New Union Ditch Company to reduce 
contract by 500 acre-feet of Lucky Peak storage space and new contracts 
with Wilderness Ranch Owners' Association for 200 acre-feet and Osprey 
Subdivision Project Owners' Association for 300 acre-feet of Lucky Peak 
storage space.
    19. Stanfield ID, Umatilla Project, Oregon: Contract for long-term 
boundary expansion to include lands outside of federally recognized 
district boundaries.
Modified Contract Actions
    15. Twenty-one 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.
    16. Five irrigation water user entities, Boise Project, Idaho: 
Long-term renewal and/or conversion of five irrigation water service 
contracts for supplemental irrigation use of up to 7,518 acre-feet of 
storage space in Lucky Peak Reservoir, a Corps of Engineers' project on 
the Boise River, Idaho.

Mid-Pacific Region

    Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 
95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
New Contract Actions
    40. City of Tracy, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Santa 
Clara Valley WD, and San Benito County Water Agency; all CVP; 
California: Amend existing water service contracts to conform to 
current Reclamation law.
    41. San Luis WD and Marvin Meyers/Meyers Farm, San Luis/Delta 
Division, CVP, California: Negotiation of a long-term exchange 
contract.

[[Page 30161]]

Lower Colorado Region

    Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada Highway and Park 
Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 702-293-8081.
New Contract Actions
    36. Chacha AZ, LLC, BCP, Arizona: Contract for 2,100 acre-feet per 
year of fourth-priority Arizona water for agricultural purposes.
    37. Cibola Valley IDD, BCP, Arizona: Assign 60 acre-feet per year 
of the district's entitlement to Arizona fourth-priority water to 
Cibola Resources, LLC, for agricultural purposes.
    38. All-American Canal, BCP, California: Agreement among 
Reclamation, the Department of the Interior, the Imperial ID, and the 
San Diego County Water Authority for construction of the All-American 
Canal Lining Project pursuant to Title II of Pub. L. 100-675.
    39. City of Yuma, BCP, Arizona: Supplemental and amendatory 
contract to provide for additional point of delivery for a new pump 
station to be constructed on the Gila Gravity Main Canal, with initial 
intake capacity of 20 million gallons per day, building up to 40 
million gallons per day at full design.
    40. The Metropolitan WD of Southern California, BCP, California: 
Contract to implement a demonstration program to create intentionally 
created surplus through extraordinary conservation in 2006 and 2007 and 
store this water in Lake Mead.
Completed Contract Actions
    4. Beattie Farms SW, BCP, Arizona: Contract for 1,110 acre-feet per 
year of fourth priority water for agricultural purposes. Contract 
executed February 17, 2006.
    20. City of Somerton, BCP, Arizona: Contract for the annual 
delivery of up to 750 acre-feet of Colorado River water per year for 
domestic use as recommended by the Arizona Department of Water 
Resources. Contract executed February 8, 2006.
    38. All-American Canal, BCP, California: Agreement among 
Reclamation, the Department of the Interior, the Imperial ID, and the 
San Diego County Water Authority for construction of the All-American 
Canal Lining Project pursuant to Title II of Pub. L. 100-675. Contract 
executed January 13, 2006.
Discontinued Contract Action
    12. Canyon Forest Village II Corporation, BCP, Arizona: Colorado 
River water delivery contract for up to 400 acre-feet per year of 
unused Arizona apportionment or surplus apportionment for domestic use.

Upper Colorado Region

    Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake 
City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-3864.
New Contract Actions
    1.(f) GW Spore Family Minor Subdivision, Aspinall Storage Unit, 
CRSP: GW Spore has requested a 40-year water service contract for 1 
acre-foot of water out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. They have submitted 
their augmentation plan to Water District 4, case No. 05 CW 220.
    1.(g) Arlo Cox, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: Mr. Cox has requested 
a 40-year water service contract for 1 acre-foot of water out of Blue 
Mesa Reservoir. He has submitted his augmentation plan to Water 
District 4, case number pending.
    31. Jensen Unit, Central Utah Project, Utah: The Uintah Water 
Conservancy District has requested a contract with provision to prepay 
at a discounted rate, for the remaining 3,300 acre-feet of unmarketed 
project M&I water.
    32. Emery County Project, Utah: The Huntington Cleveland Irrigation 
Company has requested a contract for carriage of up to 6,754 acre-feet 
of nonproject water; utilizing Huntington North Reservoir as a 
regulating feature associated with their Salinity Control Project.
Modified Contract Actions
    22. Public Service Company of New Mexico, Reclamation, and the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service; San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation 
Program: The agreement identifies that Reclamation may provide cost-
share funding for the recovery monitoring and research, and O&M of the 
constructed fish passage at the Public Service Company's site pursuant 
to Public Law 106-392, dated October 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1062.
    30. Navajo Nation, San Juan River Dineh Water Users, Reclamation, 
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; San Juan River Basin Recovery 
Implementation Program: The agreement identifies that Reclamation may 
provide cost-share funding for the recovery monitoring and research, 
and O&M of the constructed fish passage at the Hogback Diversion Dam 
pursuant to Public Law 106-392, dated October 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1602.
Completed Contract Actions
    1.(c) Joseph Foran, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: Mr. Foran has 
requested a 40-year water service contract for 25 acre-feet of water 
out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Mr. Foran has submitted an augmentation 
plan to Water District 4, case number pending. Contract was executed 
February 17, 2006
    1.(d) Farnsworth Construction and Gravel Company, Aspinall Storage 
Unit, CRSP: The Company has requested a 40-year water service contract 
for 1 acre-foot of water out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. The Company has 
submitted an augmentation plan to Water District 4, Case No. 04-CW-204. 
Contract was executed February 17, 2006.
    1.(e) Double Tree Ranch East, LLC, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: 
Double Tree has requested a 40-year water service contract for 1 acre-
foot of water out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Double Tree has submitted an 
augmentation plan to Water District 4, case number pending. Contract 
was executed January 23, 2006.
    29. North Fork Water Conservancy District and Ragged Mountain Water 
Users Association, Paonia Project, Colorado: The district and the 
association have requested a contract for supplemental water from the 
Paonia Project. Their existing contract expired on December 31, 2005. 
This contract will include irrigation and municipal uses. Contract was 
executed January 23, 2006, for irrigation water use only.

Great Plains Region

    Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal Building, 316 North 
26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, telephone 406-247-7752.
New Contract Actions
    43. Frenchman Cambridge ID; Meeker-Driftwood, Red Willow, and 
Cambridge Units; Frenchman Division, P-SMBP; Cambridge, Nebraska: 
Legislation is pending for equalization of the construction obligation 
payments over the remaining years of the water supply repayment 
obligation period, and to delay the increase in the reserve fund 
payments.
    44. Kansas-Bostwick ID No. 2; Courtland Unit, Bostwick Division, P-
SMBP; Courtland, Kansas: Legislation is pending for equalization of the 
construction obligation payments over the remaining years of the water 
supply repayment obligation period, and to delay the increase in the 
reserve fund payments.
    45. Bostwick ID; Superior-Courtland and Franklin Units, Bostwick 
Division, P-SMBP; Red Cloud, Nebraska: Legislation is pending for 
equalization of the construction obligation payments over the remaining 
years of the water supply repayment obligation period, and to delay the 
increase in the reserve fund payments.

[[Page 30162]]

    46. Webster ID; Webster Unit, Solomon Division, P-SMBP; Gaylord, 
Kansas: Legislation is pending for equalization of the construction 
obligation payments over the remaining years of the water supply 
repayment obligation period, and to delay the increase in the reserve 
fund payments.
Modified Contract Actions
    19. Clark Canyon Water Supply Company, East Bench Unit, P-SMBP, 
Montana: Negotiating renewal of contract No. 14-06-600-3592 which was 
amended to expire March 31, 2006. Current contract may be amended again 
to extend the term not to exceed an additional 2 years pursuant to 
Section 208 of the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act if necessary 
and agreed to by both parties.
    20. East Bench ID, East Bench Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Negotiating 
renewal of contract No. 14-06-600-3593 which was amended to expire 
March 31, 2006. Current contract may be amended again to extend the 
term not to exceed an additional 2 years pursuant to Section 208 of the 
2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act if necessary and agreed to by both 
parties.
    27. Hill County WD, Milk River Project, Montana: Drafting contracts 
for renewal of municipal water supply contract No. 14-06-600-8954 which 
expires August 1, 2006. The proposal includes splitting the contract 
between Hill County WD and North Havre County WD which both receive 
their full water supply under the current contract.

    Dated: March 28, 2006.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Office of Program and Policy Services.
 [FR Doc. E6-8005 Filed 5-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P