[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43810-43811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12418]


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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 May 25, 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. 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.

Modified contract action:

    16. Four irrigation water user entities, Boise Project, Idaho: 
Long-term renewal and/or conversion of four irrigation

[[Page 43811]]

water service contracts for supplemental irrigation use of up to 6,018 
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

    42. Cawelo WD, CVP, California: Long-term Warren Act contract for 
conveying nonproject water for a non-CVP contractor.
    43. Elk Creek Community Services District, CVP, California: Renewal 
of long-term water service contract for up to 100 acre-feet for a 
period of 25 years.

Completed Contract Action

    23. Sacramento River Settlement Contracts, CVP, California: Five 
contracts remain to be executed out of a total of 145 contracts and one 
contract with Colusa Drain Mutual Water Company; water quantities for 
these contracts total 2.2M acre-feet. These contracts will be renewed 
for a period of 40 years. The contracts reflect agreements to settle 
disputes over water rights' claims on the Sacramento River and the 
Colusa Basin Drain. Contracts executed February 22, 2006; March 28, 
2006; April 7, 2006; April 10, 2006; and May 8, 2006.
    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 Action

    41. City of Needles and The Metropolitan WD of Southern California, 
Lower Colorado Water Supply Project, California: Contract for 
acquisition and delivery of Lower Colorado Water Supply Project water.

Completed Contract Actions

    24. Tohono O'odham Nation, CAP, Arizona: Amend CAP water delivery 
contract pursuant to the Arizona Water Settlements Act, Pub. L. 108-
451, enacted December 10, 2004. Contract executed May 5, 2006.
    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. Contract executed May 26, 2006.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
3864.

New Contract Action

    33. North Fork Water Conservancy District and Ragged Mountain Water 
Users Association, Paonia Project, Colorado: North Fork and Ragged 
Mountain have requested a contract for supplemental water from the 
Paonia Project. This contract is for municipal uses.

Completed Contract Action

    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. 
Contract executed March 22, 2006.
    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

    47. City of Grand Junction, City of Fruita, and Town of Palisade 
(Municipal Recreation Agreement); Colorado-Big Thompson Project; 
Colorado: Negotiation of renewal of Municipal Recreation Agreement to 
provide historic users pool surplus water from Green Mountain Reservoir 
for nonconsumptive municipal recreation uses.
    48. Colorado River Water Conservation District, Ruedi Reservoir, 
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: Consideration of a request for a 
second round water sales or repayment contract from the regulatory 
capacity of Ruedi Reservoir for up to 5,000 acre-feet annually for M&I 
uses and also providing water to the endangered fish and supplementing 
in-stream flows.

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 December 31, 2006. Current contract may be amended 
again to extend the term not to exceed an additional 1 year 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 
December 31, 2006. Current contract may be amended again to extend the 
term not to exceed an additional 1 year pursuant to Section 208 of the 
2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act if necessary and agreed to by both 
parties.

Completed Contract Action

    40. 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. 
Contract executed March 24, 2006.

    Dated: June 30, 2006.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Office of Program and Policy Services.
[FR Doc. E6-12418 Filed 8-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P