[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 65 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16849-16853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06829]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[178A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Rate Adjustments for Indian Irrigation Projects

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns or has an interest in 
irrigation projects located on or associated with various Indian 
reservations throughout the United States. We are required to establish 
irrigation assessment rates to recover the costs to administer, 
operate, maintain, and rehabilitate these projects. We are notifying 
you that we have adjusted the irrigation assessment rates at several of 
our irrigation projects and facilities to reflect current costs of 
administration, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation.

DATES: The irrigation assessment rates are current as of January 1, 
2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For details about a particular BIA 
irrigation project or facility, please use the tables in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section to contact the regional or local 
office where the project or facility is located.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Proposed Rate Adjustment was 
published in the Federal Register on August 5, 2016 (81 FR 51927) to 
propose adjustments to the irrigation assessment rates at several BIA 
irrigation projects. The public and interested parties were provided an 
opportunity to submit written comments during the 60-day period that 
ended October 4, 2016.

Did BIA defer or change any proposed rate increases?

    Yes. For the Flathead and Duck Valley Indian Irrigation Projects 
the rate increase to $33.50 and $6.30, respectively, as published in 
the proposed notice for the 2016 rate was not implemented. The final 
2016 rate will remain at the 2015 amounts of $26.00 and $5.30. All 
other rates are to be implemented at the respective irrigation project 
as published.

Did BIA receive any comments on the proposed irrigation assessment rate 
adjustments?

    No. The BIA did not receive any comments to the proposed irrigation 
assessment rate adjustment.

Does this notice affect me?

    This notice affects you if you own or lease land within the 
assessable acreage of one of our irrigation projects or if you have a 
carriage agreement with one of our irrigation projects.

Where can I get information on the regulatory and legal citations in 
this notice?

    You can contact the appropriate office(s) stated in the tables for 
the

[[Page 16850]]

irrigation project that serves you, or you can use the Internet site 
for the Government Printing Office at www.gpo.gov.

What authorizes you to issue this notice?

    Our authority to issue this notice is vested in the Secretary of 
the Interior (Secretary) by 5 U.S.C. 301 and the Act of August 14, 1914 
(38 Stat. 583; 25 U.S.C. 385). The Secretary has in turn delegated this 
authority to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs under Part 209, 
Chapter 8.1A, of the Department of the Interior's Departmental Manual.

Whom can I contact for further information?

    The following tables are the regional and project/agency contacts 
for our irrigation facilities.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Project name                    Project/agency contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Northwest Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Stanley Speaks, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest
     Regional Office, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-4169,
                       Telephone: (503) 231-6702.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Indian Irrigation Project  Pete Plant, Acting Superintendent,
                                     Pete Plant, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, P.O. Box 40, Pablo, MT
                                     59855, Telephones: (406) 675-2700
                                     ext. 1300 Superintendent, (406) 745-
                                     2661 ext. 2 Project Manager.
Fort Hall Irrigation Project......  David Bollinger, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, Building #2 Bannock Ave,
                                     Fort Hall, ID 83203-0220,
                                     Telephone: (208) 238-6264
Wapato Irrigation Project.........  David Shaw, Superintendent, Larry
                                     Nelson, Acting Project
                                     Administrator, P.O. Box 220,
                                     Wapato, WA 98951-0220, Telephones:
                                     (509) 865-2421 Superintendent,
                                     (509) 877-3155 Acting Project
                                     Administrator.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Rocky Mountain Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Darryl LaCounte, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky
  Mountain Regional Office, 2021 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101,
                       Telephone: (406) 247-7943.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackfeet Irrigation Project......  Thedis Crowe, Superintendent, Greg
                                     Tatsey, Irrigation Project Manager,
                                     Box 880, Browning, MT 59417,
                                     Telephones: (406) 338-7544,
                                     Superintendent, (406) 338-7519,
                                     Irrigation Project Manager.
Crow Irrigation Project...........  Vianna Stewart, Superintendent, John
                                     Anevski, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, P.O. Box 69, Crow Agency,
                                     MT 59022, Telephones: (406) 638-
                                     2672, Superintendent, (406) 247-
                                     7998, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager.
Fort Belknap Irrigation Project...  John St. Pierre, Superintendent,
                                     Vacant, Irrigation Project Manager,
                                     (Project operation & maintenance
                                     contracted to Tribes), R.R.1, Box
                                     980, Harlem, MT 59526, Telephones:
                                     (406) 353-2901, Superintendent,
                                     (406) 353-8454, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager (Tribal Office).
Fort Peck Irrigation Project......  Howard Beemer, Superintendent, Huber
                                     Wright, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, P.O. Box 637, Poplar, MT
                                     59255, Telephones: (406) 768-5312,
                                     Superintendent, (406) 653-1752,
                                     Irrigation Project Manager.
Wind River Irrigation Project.....  Norma Gourneau, Superintendent, John
                                     Anevski, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, P.O. Box 158, Fort
                                     Washakie, WY 82514, Telephones:
                                     (307) 332-7810, Superintendent,
                                     (307) 247-7998, Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Southwest Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     William T. Walker, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
   Southwest Regional Office, 1001 Indian School Road, Albuquerque, NM
                    87104, Telephone: (505) 563-3100.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pine River Irrigation Project.....  Priscilla Bancroft, Superintendent,
                                     Vickie Begay, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, P.O. Box 315, Ignacio, CO
                                     81137-0315, Telephones: (970) 563-
                                     4511, Superintendent, (970) 563-
                                     9484, Irrigation Project Manager.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Western Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Bryan Bowker, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western
 Regional Office, 2600 N. Central Ave., 4th Floor Mailroom, Phoenix, AZ
                    85004, Telephone: (602) 379-6600.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project.  Kellie Youngbear Superintendent,
                                     Gary Colvin, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, 12124 1st Avenue, Parker,
                                     AZ 85344, Telephone: (928) 669-
                                     7111.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project....  Joseph McDade, Superintendent,
                                     (Project operation & management
                                     compacted to Tribes), 2719 Argent
                                     Ave., Suite 4, Gateway Plaza, Elko,
                                     NV 89801, Telephone: (775) 738-
                                     5165, (208) 759-3100, (Tribal
                                     Office).
Yuma Project, Indian Unit.........  Denni Shields, Superintendent, 256
                                     South Second Avenue, Suite D, Yuma,
                                     AZ 85364, Telephone: (928) 782-
                                     1202.
San Carlos Irrigation Project,      Ferris Begay, Project Manager,
 Indian Works and Joint Works.       Clarence Begay, Irrigation Manager,
                                     13805 N. Arizona Boulevard,
                                     Coolidge, AZ 85128, Telephone:
                                     (520) 723-6225.
Uintah Irrigation Project.........  Bart Stevens Superintendent, Ken
                                     Asay, Irrigation System Manager,
                                     P.O. Box 130, Fort Duchesne, UT
                                     84026, Telephone: (435) 722-4300,
                                     (435) 722-4344.
Walker River Irrigation Project...  Robert Eben, Superintendent, 311 E.
                                     Washington Street, Carson City, NV
                                     89701, Telephone: (775) 887-3500.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 16851]]

What irrigation assessments or charges are adjusted by this notice?

    The rate table below contains the current rates for all irrigation 
projects where we recover costs of administering, operating, 
maintaining, and rehabilitating them. The table also contains the final 
rates for the 2016 calendar year and subsequent years where applicable. 
An asterisk immediately following the rate category notes the 
irrigation projects where 2016 rates are different from the 2015 rates.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Final 2015      Final 2016      Final 2017
             Project name                     Rate category            rate            rate           rate **
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Northwest Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Indian Irrigation Project      Basic-per acre--A.......          $26.00          $26.00          $26.00
 (See Note #1).
                                        Basic-per acre--B.......           13.00           13.00           13.00
                                        Minimum Charge per tract           75.00           75.00           75.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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                                                                                    Final 2015      Final 2016
                 Project name                             Rate category                rate            rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fort Hall Irrigation Project..................  Basic per acre *................          $49.00          $52.00
                                                Minimum Charge per tract *......           35.00           37.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project--Minor Units.....  Basic per acre *................           27.00           31.00
                                                Minimum Charge per tract *......           35.00           37.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project--Michaud.........  Basic per acre *................           50.50           55.00
                                                Pressure per acre *.............           72.50           83.00
                                                Minimum Charge per tract *......           35.00           37.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Toppenish/Simcoe     Minimum Charge per bill *.......           24.00           25.00
 Units.
                                                Basic per acre *................           24.00           25.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Ahtanum Units......  Minimum Charge per bill *.......           25.00           30.00
                                                Basic per acre *................           25.00           30.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Satus Unit.........  Minimum Charge per bill.........           79.00           79.00
                                                ``A'' Basic per acre............           79.00           79.00
                                                ``B'' Basic per acre............           85.00           85.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Additional Works...  Minimum Charge per bill *.......           75.00           78.00
                                                Basic per acre *................           75.00           78.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Water Rental.......  Minimum Charge..................           86.00           86.00
                                                Basic per acre..................           86.00           86.00
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                                        Rocky Mountain Region Rate Table
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Blackfeet Irrigation Project..................  Basic-per acre..................           20.00           20.00
Crow Irrigation Project--Willow Creek O&M       Basic-per acre *................           24.80           26.00
 (includes Agency, Lodge Grass #1, Lodge Grass
 #2, Reno, Upper Little Horn, and Forty Mile
 Units).
Crow Irrigation Project--All Others (includes   Basic-per acre *................           24.80           26.00
 Bighorn, Soap Creek, and Pryor Units).
Crow Irrigation Project--Two Leggins Unit.....  Basic-per acre..................           14.00           14.00
Crow Irrigation Two Leggins Drainage District.  Basic-per acre..................            2.00            2.00
Fort Belknap Irrigation Project...............  Basic-per acre *................           15.00           16.00
Fort Peck Irrigation Project..................  Basic-per acre..................           26.00           26.00
Wind River Irrigation Project--Units 2, 3 and   Basic-per acre *................           21.00           22.50
 4.
Wind River Irrigation Project--Unit 6.........  Basic-per acre..................           21.00           21.00
Wind River Irrigation Project--LeClair          Basic-per acre *................           25.70           47.00
 District (see Note#2).
Wind River Irrigation Project--Crow Heart Unit  Basic-per acre *................           14.00           15.50
Wind River Irrigation Project--A Canal Unit...  Basic-per acre *................           14.00           15.50
Wind River Irrigation Project--Riverton Valley  Basic-per acre *................           21.00           26.00
 Irrigation District.
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                                           Southwest Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pine River Irrigation Project.................  Minimum Charge per tract........           50.00           50.00
                                                Basic-per acre *................           17.00           18.00
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                                            Western Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project.............  Basic per acre up to 5.75 acre-           $54.00          $54.00
                                                 feet.
                                                Excess Water per acre-foot over            17.00           17.00
                                                 5.75 acre-feet.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project................  Basic per acre..................            5.30            5.30
Yuma Project, Indian Unit (See Note #3).......  Basic per acre up to 5.0 acre-            108.50          113.00
                                                 feet *.
                                                Excess Water per acre-foot over            24.50           24.50
                                                 5.0 acre-feet.
                                                Basic per acre up to 5.0 acre-            108.50          113.00
                                                 feet (Ranch 5) *.
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[[Page 16852]]


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          Project name               Rate category      Final 2015 rate     Final 2016 rate   Final 2017 rate **
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Carlos Irrigation Project     Basic per acre *..  $35.00              $30.00              $25.00.
 (Joint Works) (See Note #4).
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Final 2016--2017 Construction Water Rate Schedule:
                                                      Off project         On project          On project
                                                       construction.       construction--gra   construction--pum
                                                                           vity water.         p water
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Administrative Fee  $300.00             $300.00             $300.00.
                                  Usage Fee.........  $250.00 per month.  No Fee............  $100.00 per acre
                                                                                               foot.
                                  Excess Water Rate   $5.00 per 1,000     No Charge.........  No Charge.
                                   [dagger].           gal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  [dagger] The excess water rate applies to all water used in excess of 50,000
                                   gallons in any one month.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Final 2015      Final 2016
                 Project name                             Rate category                rate            rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Carlos Irrigation Project (Indian Works)    Basic per acre *................          $86.00          $81.00
 (See Note#5).
Uintah Irrigation Project.....................  Basic per acre..................           18.00           18.00
                                                Minimum Bill....................           25.00           25.00
Walker River Irrigation Project...............  Basic per acre..................           31.00           31.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Notes irrigation projects where rates are adjusted.
** The requirement for a final 2017 Rate is only applicable to the Flathead and San Carlos Irrigation Projects
  due to their specific billing requirements.
Note #1: Federal Register Notice on April 29, 2016 established the 2016 rate for the Flathead Irrigation Project
  (81 FR 25691). This notice makes final the 2017 rate for the Flathead Irrigation Project.
Note #2: The O&M rate varies yearly based upon the budget submitted by the LeClair District.
Note #3: The O&M rate for the Yuma Project, Indian Unit has two components. The first component is the O&M rate
  established by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the owner and operator of the Project. The BOR rate for 2016
  is $110/acre. The second component is for the O&M rate established by BIA to cover administrative costs
  including billing and collections for the Project. The 2016 BIA rate is $3.00/acre.
Note #4:The construction water rate schedule identifies the fees assessed for use of irrigation water for non-
  irrigation purposes. Federal Register Notice on April 29, 2016 established the 2016 rate for the SCIP-JW (81
  FR 25691). This notice makes final the 2017 rate for the SCIP-JW.
Note #5: The 2016 O&M rate for the San Carlos Irrigation Project--Indian Works has three components. The first
  component is the O&M rate established by the San Carlos Irrigation Project--Indian Works, the owner and
  operator of the Project; this rate is $51 per acre. The second component is for the O&M rate established by
  the San Carlos Irrigation Project--Joint Works and is determined to be $25.00 per acre. The third component is
  the O&M rate established by the San Carlos Irrigation Project Joint Control Board and is $5 per acre.

Consultation and Coordination With Tribal Governments (Executive Order 
13175)

    The Department of the Interior strives to strengthen its 
government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes through a 
commitment to consultation with Indian Tribes and recognition of their 
right to self-governance and Tribal sovereignty. We have evaluated this 
notice under the Department's consultation policy and under the 
criteria of Executive Order 13175 and have determined there to be 
substantial direct effects on federally recognized Tribes because the 
irrigation projects are located on or associated with Indian 
reservations. To fulfill its consultation responsibility to Tribes and 
Tribal organizations, BIA communicates, coordinates, and consults on a 
continuing basis with these entities on issues of water delivery, water 
availability, and costs of administration, operation, maintenance, and 
rehabilitation of projects that concern them. This is accomplished at 
the individual irrigation project by project, agency, and regional 
representatives, as appropriate, in accordance with local protocol and 
procedures. This notice is one component of our overall coordination 
and consultation process to provide notice to, and request comments 
from, these entities when we adjust irrigation assessment rates.

Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 
Distribution, or Use (Executive Order 13211)

    The rate adjustments are not a significant energy action under the 
definition in Executive Order 13211. A Statement of Energy Effects is 
not required.

Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Order 12866)

    These rate adjustments are not a significant regulatory action and 
do not need to be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget under 
Executive Order 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    These rate adjustments are not a rule for the purposes of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act because they establish ``a rule of 
particular applicability relating to rates.'' 5 U.S.C. 601(2).

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    These rate adjustments do not impose an unfunded mandate on state, 
local, or tribal governments in the aggregate, or on the private 
sector, of more than $130 million per year. They do not have a 
significant or unique effect on state, local, or tribal governments or 
the private sector. Therefore, the Department is not required to 
prepare a statement containing the information required by the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Takings (Executive Order 12630)

    These rate adjustments do not effect a taking of private property 
or otherwise have ``takings'' implications under Executive Order 12630. 
The rate adjustments do not deprive the public, state, or local 
governments of rights or property.

Federalism (Executive Order 13132)

    Under the criteria in section 1 of Executive Order 13132, these 
rate adjustments do not have sufficient federalism implications to 
warrant the preparation of a federalism summary impact statement 
because they will not affect the States, the relationship between the 
national government and

[[Page 16853]]

the States, or the distribution of power and responsibilities among 
various levels of government. A federalism summary impact statement is 
not required.

Civil Justice Reform (Executive Order 12988)

    This notice complies with the requirements of Executive Order 
12988. Specifically, in issuing this notice, the Department has taken 
the necessary steps to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity, 
minimize potential litigation, and provide a clear legal standard for 
affected conduct as required by section 3 of Executive Order 12988.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    These rate adjustments do not affect the collections of information 
which have been approved by the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. The OMB Control Number is 1076-0141 and expires June 30, 
2019.

National Environmental Policy Act

    The Department has determined that these rate adjustments do not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment and that no detailed statement is required 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321-
4370(d), pursuant to 43 CFR 46.210(i). In addition, the rate 
adjustments do not present any of the 12 extraordinary circumstances 
listed at 43 CFR 46.215.

Data Quality Act

    In developing this notice, we did not conduct or use a study, 
experiment, or survey requiring peer review under the Data Quality Act 
(Pub. L. 106-554).

    Dated: March 29, 2017.
Michael S. Black,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-06829 Filed 4-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P