[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 207 (Tuesday, October 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65797-65799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27272]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR83550000, 156R5065C6, RX.59389832.1009676]


Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other 
Water-Related Contract Actions

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, 
discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice. 
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, Reclamation Law 
Administration Division, 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. Announcement 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.

[[Page 65798]]

    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 or her 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 will 
furnish revised contracts to all parties who requested the contract in 
response to the initial public notice.

Definitions of Abbreviations Used in the Reports

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
BCP Boulder Canyon Project
Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation
CAP Central Arizona Project
CUP Central Utah Project
CVP Central Valley Project
CRSP Colorado River Storage Project
FR Federal Register
IDD Irrigation and Drainage District
ID Irrigation District
LCWSP Lower Colorado Water Supply Project
M&I Municipal and Industrial
NMISC New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission
O&M Operation and Maintenance
OM&R Operation, maintenance, and replacement
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 actions:
    11. City of Prineville and Ochoco ID, Crooked River Project, 
Oregon: Long-term contract to provide the city of Prineville with a 
mitigation water supply from Prineville Reservoir; with the Ochoco ID 
being a party to the contract, as they are responsible for O&M of the 
dam and reservoir.
    12. Burley and Minidoka IDs, Minidoka Project, Idaho: Supplemental 
and amendatory contracts to transfer the O&M of the Main South Side 
Canal Headworks to Burley ID and transfer the O&M of the Main North 
Side Canal Headworks to the Minidoka ID.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
    The Mid-Pacific Region has no updates to report for this quarter.
    Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 61470 
(Nevada Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, 
telephone 702-293-8192.
    New contract action:
    25. La Paz County and Ehrenberg Improvement Association (EIA), BCP, 
Arizona: Review and approve a proposed partial assignment to the 
Association of 150 acre-feet per year of La Paz County's Arizona fourth 
priority water entitlement amount of 500 acre-feet per year and execute 
the associated amendments to La Paz County's contract and the 
Association's contract.
    Completed contract action:
    11. Flowing Wells ID and the City of Tucson, CAP, Arizona: Execute 
a proposed partial assignment to the City of 19 acre-feet per year from 
the District's CAP water entitlement amount of 4,354 acre-feet per 
year. Contract executed July 20, 2015.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 8100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
3864.
    New contract actions:
    32. Uintah Water Conservancy District; Flaming Gorge Unit, CRSP; 
Utah: The District has requested a long-term water service contract to 
remove up to 5,500 acre-feet of water annually from the Green River for 
irrigation purposes under the authority of Section 9(e) of the 
Reclamation Project Act of 1939. A short-term contract may be executed 
until a long-term contract can be completed.
    33. Salem Canal and Irrigation Company, Strawberry Valley Project, 
Utah: The United States intends to enter into an amendatory contract 
regarding possible lost generation of power revenues generated at the 
Spanish Fork Power Plant on the Strawberry Valley Project.
    34. Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, A.V. Watkins Dam, Utah: 
The United States intends to enter into an implementation agreement 
with the District giving the District the authority to modify Federal 
facilities to raise the crest of AV Watkins Dam.
    Completed contract actions:
    16. Azalea Oil Company; Flaming Gorge Unit, CRSP; Wyoming: The 
Company has requested a contract for 1 acre-foot of water for drilling, 
dust suppression, and other uses for a well. The Company plans on 
drilling in Southwest Wyoming. Contract executed March 24, 2015.
    26. La Plata Water Conservancy District, Animas-La Plata Project, 
Colorado: The District has requested a 1-year temporary water service 
contract for the use of Reclamation shares in the Pine Ridge Ditch for 
the temporary use of up to 262 acre-feet. A contract is currently being 
drafted which will determine point(s) of delivery and rate and method 
of water payments. Contract executed June 22, 2015.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 2021 4th Avenue North, Billings, Montana 59101, telephone 
406-247-7752.
    New contract actions:
    64. Glen Elder ID No. 8; Glen Elder Unit, P-SMBP; Kansas: 
Consideration to renew long-term water service contract No. 2-07-60-
W0855.
    65. Mitchell County Rural Water District No. 2; Glen Elder Unit, P-
SMBP; Kansas: Consideration to renew long-term water delivery contract 
No. 7-07-70-W0108.
    Modified contract action:
    30. Helena Valley ID; Helena Valley Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: 
Consideration of a contract to allow for delivery of up to 500 acre-
feet of water for M&I purposes within the District boundaries.
    Discontinued contract actions:
    40. William Rau; Canyon Ferry Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: Renewal of a 
long-term water service contract.
    52. Jeffrey N. Edwards Revocable Trust; Bostwick Division, P-SMBP; 
Nebraska: Excess capacity contract for the conveyance of nonproject 
water.

[[Page 65799]]

    54. Fort Cobb Reservoir Master Conservancy District, Fort Cobb 
Division, Washita River Basin Project: Reclamation intends to enter 
into an amendment to contract No. 14-06-500-295 to recognize the 
previously uncommitted irrigation water allocation as available for M&I 
use.
    Completed contract actions:
    58. Sunny Brooks Colony, Inc.; Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: 
Consideration to enter into a long-term contract for up to 59 acre-feet 
of M&I water from Lake Elwell. Contract executed June 24, 2015.
    59. Devon Water Inc.; Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: Proposed 
40-year contract for M&I water. Contract executed July 16, 2015.
    60. Tiber County WD; Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: Proposed 
40-year contract for M&I water. Contract executed July 31, 2015.
    61. Dugout Water Association; Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: 
Proposed renewal of 40-year contract for M&I water. Contract executed 
September 10, 2015.

    Dated: September 22, 2015.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Policy and Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-27272 Filed 10-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4332-90-P