[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 223 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67159-67161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19554]


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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 August 2, 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

[[Page 67160]]

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
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                                      Boulder Canyon Project;  Bureau of
          BCP;  reclamation                       Reclamation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAP.................................  Central Arizona Project.
CVP.................................  Central Valley Project.
CVPIA...............................  Central Valley Project Improvement
                                       Act.
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.
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    Pacific Northwest Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis 
Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234, telephone 208-378-5344.
    Modified contract action:
    16. Two irrigation water user entities, Boise Project, Idaho: Long-
term renewal and/or conversion of two irrigation water service 
contracts for supplemental irrigation use of up to 2,218 acre-feet of 
storage space in Lucky Peak Reservoir, a Corps of Engineers' project on 
the Boise River, Idaho. Sixteen water service contracts have been 
converted to repayment contracts for a total of 68,000 acre-feet of 
storage space.
    Completed contract action:
    19. Stanfield ID, Umatilla Project, Oregon: Contract for long-term 
boundary expansion to include lands outside of federally recognized 
district boundaries. Contract executed September 8, 2006.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
    New contract actions:
    44. Elk Creek Community Services District, CVP, California: Interim 
renewal of water service contract for an initial period of 3 years, 
with subsequent interim renewal contracts of 2 years pursuant to 
section 3404(c) of the CVPIA.
    45. Westlands WD, CVP, California: Interim renewal of water service 
contract (Case No. CV-79-106-EDP) for an initial period of 3 years, 
with subsequent interim renewal contracts of 2 years pursuant to 
section 3404(c) of the CVPIA.
    46. Westlands WD, CVP, California: Interim renewal of water service 
contract (No. 14-06-200-495A) for an initial period of 3 years, with 
subsequent interim renewal contracts of 2 years pursuant to section 
3404(c) of the CVPIA.
    Modified contract actions:
    42. Cawelo WD and Lindsay-Strathmore ID, 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 40 years.
    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:
    42. City of Needles, BCP, California: Amendment to contract No. 05-
XX-30-W0445 to include PPR No. 44 for an annual diversion of 1,260 
acre-feet or the annual consumptive use of 273 acre-feet, whichever is 
less.
    43. Cibola Resources, LLC, BCP, Arizona: Assign contract No. 06-XX-
30-W0449 to B&F Investment, LLC, transfer the 60-acre-foot entitlement 
to B&F under that contract, and enter into a new contract with B&F to 
change the type and place of use.
    44. Rudy J. Leon and Helen V. Thomas, BCP, California: Enter into a 
contract for their entitlement of PPR No. 38 for 1.7086 acre-feet of 
water per year.
    Completed contract actions:
    11. Berneil Water Co., CAP, Arizona: Partial assignment of 200 
acre-feet of water per year to the Cave Creek Water Company.
    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.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
3864.
    New contraction:
    1.(h) Michael and Nancy Courtney Schell, Aspinall Storage Unit, 
CRSP: The Schells have requested a 40-year water service contract for 1 
acre-foot of water out of Blue Mesa Reservoir. An augmentation plan is 
not required for their direct withdrawal of water from the reservoir.
    Modified contract:

[[Page 67161]]

    32. Emery County Project, Utah: The Huntington Cleveland Irrigation 
Company has requested a contract for carriage of up to 14,074 acre-feet 
of nonproject water; utilizing Huntington North Reservoir as a 
regulating feature associated with their Salinity Control Project.
    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:
    49. Colorado River Water Conservation District, Colorado-Big 
Thompson Project, Colorado: Long-term exchange, conveyance, and storage 
contract to implement the Exhibit B Agreement of the Settlement 
Agreement on Operating Procedures for Green Mountain Reservoir 
Concerning Operating Limitations and in Resolution of the Petition 
Filed August 7, 2003, in Case No. 49-CV-2782 (The United States v 
Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, et al., U.S. District 
Court for the District of Colorado, Case No. 2782 and Consolidated Case 
Nos. 5016 and 5017).
    50. Colorado River Water Conservation District, Colorado-Big 
Thompson Project, Colorado: Consideration of a request for a long-term 
contract for the use of excess capacity for storage and exchange in 
Green Mountain Reservoir in the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.
    Modified contract actions:
    9. Highland-Hanover ID, Hanover-Bluff Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: 
Negotiate long-term water service contract.
    10. Upper Bluff ID, Hanover-Bluff Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Negotiate 
long-term water service contract.
    13. Savage ID, P-SMBP, Montana: The district is currently seeking 
title transfer. The contract is subject to renewal pending outcome of 
the title transfer process. A 5-year interim contract was executed May 
7, 2003, to ensure a continuous water supply.
    Completed contract actions:
    8. City of Cheyenne, Kendrick Project, Wyoming: Negotiate a long-
term contract for storage space for replacement water on a daily basis 
in Seminoe Reservoir. A temporary contract has been issued pending 
negotiation of the long-term contract. Long-term contract was executed 
October 1, 2006.
    16. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Amendments to long-term water 
service contracts with Burbank Ditch, New Grattan Ditch Company, 
Torrington ID, Lucerne Canal and Power Company, and Wright and Murphy 
Ditch Company. Contract amendments were executed June 28, 2006.
    17. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Nebraska: Amendments to long-term water 
service contracts with Bridgeport, Enterprise, and Mitchell IDs, and 
Central Nebraska Public Power and ID. Contract amendments were executed 
June 28, 2006.
    27. Hill County WD, Milk River Project, Montana: Drafting contracts 
for renewal of municipal water supply contract No. 14-06-600-8954 which 
expired 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. Contract No. 
069E670064 with Hill County WD was executed July 28, 2006; and contract 
No. 069E670065 with North Havre County WD was executed August 4, 2006.
    Discontinued contract action:
    21. Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, Lake Meredith 
Salinity Control Project, New Mexico and Texas: Negotiation of a 
contract for the transfer of control (care and O&M) of the project to 
the Authority in accordance with Pub. L. 102-575, Title VIII, Section 
804(c).

    Dated: September 27, 2006.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Office of Program and Policy Services.
 [FR Doc. E6-19554 Filed 11-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P