[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 214 (Friday, November 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57519-57521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26797]


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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 and are new, modified, 
discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice on 
August 4, 2009. 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: Michelle Kelly, Water and 
Environmental Resources Office, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007, 
Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-445-2888.

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

[[Page 57520]]

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.

Definitions of Abbreviations Frequently Used in This Document

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
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
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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 action:
    16. Prineville Reservoir water users, Crooked River Project, 
Oregon: Irrigation water service contracts for up to 2,500 acre-feet of 
project water.
    Modified contract actions:
    1. Irrigation, M&I, and miscellaneous water users; Idaho, Oregon, 
Washington, Montana, and Wyoming: Temporary or interim irrigation and 
M&I water service, water storage, water right settlement, exchange, 
miscellaneous use, or water replacement contracts to provide up to 
10,000 acre-feet of water annually for terms up to 5 years; long-term 
contracts for similar service for up to 1,000 acre-feet of water 
annually.
    8. Greenberry ID, Willamette Basin Project, Oregon: Irrigation 
water service contract for approximately 14,000 acre-feet of project 
water.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
    Modified contract action:
    35. Colusa County WD, CVP, California: Execution of a long-term 
Warren Act contract for conveyance of up to 40,000 acre-feet of 
groundwater per year through the use of the Tehama-Colusa Canal.
    Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada 
Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 
702-293-8192.
    The Lower Colorado Region has no updates to report for this 
quarter.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
3864.
    Completed contract action:
    1.(g) Charles Weaver, Aspinall Storage Unit, CRSP: Mr. Weaver has 
requested a 40-year water service contract for 1 acre-foot of M&I water 
out of Blue Mesa Reservoir, which requires Mr. Weaver to present a Plan 
of Augmentation to the Division 4 Water Court. Contract executed June 
18, 2009.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59101, telephone 
406-247-7752.
    New contract actions:
    52. Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: Consideration of 
repayment contract for the Arkansas Valley Conduit.
    53. North Havre County WD, Milk River Project, Montana: Reclamation 
is contemplating a contract amendment for a change in the point of 
delivery of a portion of the district's water under contract.
    54. Milk River Irrigation Project Joint Board of Control, Milk 
River Project, Montana: Reclamation is contemplating a new contract for 
transferring O&M responsibilities of the Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs.
    55. State of Wyoming, Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir, North Platte 
Project, Wyoming: The state of Wyoming has requested a water service 
contract for water to be stored in Pathfinder Reservoir associated with 
the implementation of the Pathfinder Modification Project.
    56. Loup Valleys Rural Public Power District; North Loup Division, 
P-SMBP; Nebraska: Proposed sale of Reclamation's share in joint-owned 
power line to the co-owner of the line.
    57. Individual irrigators; Cambridge Unit, P-SMBP; Nebraska: 
Request for a Warren Act contract for use of Reclamation facilities for 
transportation of nonproject irrigation water under a highway and 
railroad for irrigation purposes.
    Modified contract actions:
    3. Ruedi Reservoir, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: Water 
sales from the regulatory capacity of Ruedi Reservoir. Water service 
and repayment contracts for up to 17,000 acre-feet annually.
    16. ExxonMobil Corporation, Ruedi Reservoir, Fryingpan-Arkansas 
Project, Colorado: Consideration of ExxonMobil Corporation's request to 
amend its Ruedi Round I contract to include additional locations and 
uses of the water.
    Completed contract actions:
    5. Dickinson-Heart River Mutual Aid Corporation; Dickinson Unit, P-
SMBP; North Dakota: Negotiate renewal of water service contract for 
irrigation of lands below Dickinson Dam in western North Dakota. 
Contract executed June 24, 2009.
    21. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Contract renewal for 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. Contracts executed July 22, 2009.
    22. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Nebraska: Contract renewal for long-term 
water

[[Page 57521]]

service contracts with Bridgeport, Enterprise, and Mitchell IDs. 
Contracts executed July 22, 2009.
    28. Turtle Lake ID, Garrison Diversion Unit, North Dakota: Turtle 
Lake ID, water users, and individual irrigators have requested water 
service contracts, which may be short- or long-term under the Dakota 
Water Resources Act of 2000. Contracts executed July 2, 2009.
    31. LU Sheet Company, Boysen Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Contract 
renewal of long-term water service contract. Contract executed August 
10, 2009.
    32. Busch Farms, Inc., Boysen Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Contract 
renewal of long-term water service contract. Contract executed August 
10, 2009.
    33. Gorst Ranch, Boysen Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Contract renewal of 
long-term water service contract. Contract executed August 10, 2009.
    36. Central Nebraska Public Power and ID, Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, 
Nebraska: Request to amend current repayment contract. Contract 
executed August 10, 2009.
    40. Pryor Creek Land and Development Company, Huntley Project, 
Montana: Request for a long-term water service contract for M&I 
purposes for up to 200 acre-feet of water per year. Contract executed 
August 16, 2009.
    41. Grandview Cemetery Association of Saco, Milk River Project, 
Montana: Contract renewal for a long-term water service contract for up 
to 14 acre-feet of water per year. Contract executed June 24, 2009.

    Dated: October 13, 2009.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Policy and Administration, Denver Office.
[FR Doc. E9-26797 Filed 11-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P