[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 242 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77634-77636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27431]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR83550000, 234R5065C6, RX.59389832.1009676]


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

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of contract actions.

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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 
of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Reclamation Law 
Administration Division, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007, Denver, 
Colorado 80225-0007; [email protected]; 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

[[Page 77635]]

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 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
XM Extraordinary maintenance
EXM Emergency extraordinary maintenance
FR Federal Register
IDD Irrigation and Drainage District
ID Irrigation District
M&I Municipal and industrial
O&M Operation and maintenance
OM&R Operation, maintenance, and replacement
P-SMBP Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
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
WIIN Act Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act

    Missouri Basin--Interior Region 5: Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 
36900, Federal Building, 2021 4th Avenue North, Billings, Montana 
59101, telephone 406-247-7752.
    Discontinued contract action:
    30. H&RW ID; Frenchman-Cambridge Division, P-SMBP; Nebraska: 
Consideration of a water service contract.
    Completed contract actions:
    28. Glen Elder ID; Glen Elder Unit, P-SMBP; Kansas: Consideration 
of a repayment contract for XM funded pursuant to Title X, Subtitle G 
of Public Law 111-11. Contract executed on September 9, 2022.
    32. Bluff ID; Boysen Unit, P-SMBP; Wyoming: Consideration of a new 
long-term water service contract for irrigation purposes. Contract 
executed on July 5, 2022.
    34. Shoshone Municipal Pipeline, Shoshone Project, Wyoming: 
Consideration for renewal of water service contract No. 1-07-60-W0703. 
Contract executed on August 17, 2022.
    35. Slagle, Gayle and Joyce; Canyon Ferry Unit, P-SMBP; Montana: 
Consideration for a new long-term water service contract for irrigation 
purposes. Contract executed on August 1, 2022.
    Upper Colorado Basin--Interior Region 7: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 
South State Street, Room 8100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, 
telephone 801-524-3864.
    Modified contract action:
    3. Middle Rio Grande Project, New Mexico: Reclamation will continue 
annual leasing of water from various San Juan-Chama Project contractors 
in 2022 to stabilize flows in a critical reach of the Rio Grande to 
meet the needs of irrigators and preserve habitat for the silvery 
minnow. Reclamation leased approximately 8,245 acre-feet of water from 
San Juan-Chama Project contractors in 2021. Contracts with the City of 
Santa Fe and the Town of Red River were executed. An additional 700 
acre-feet lease is nearly complete with the City of Espanola.
    Lower Colorado Basin--Interior Region 8: Bureau of Reclamation, 
P.O. Box 61470 (Nevada Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 
89006-1470, telephone 702-293-8192.
    Completed contract action:
    19. Cibola Valley Irrigation and Drainage District (CVIDD) and The 
Cibola Sportsman's Club, Inc., Alfred F. and Emma Jean Bishop Family 
Trust, and Bruce and Lora Cathcart and James and Aria Cathcart 
(Beneficiaries) BCP, Arizona: Enter into a proposed partial assignment 
and transfer of Arizona fourth-priority Colorado River water in the 
amount of 762 acre-feet per year from CVIDD to be divided amongst the 
Beneficiaries. Amend CVIDD's Colorado River water delivery contract No. 
2-07-30-W0028 to decrease its Colorado River water entitlement from 
8,204.52 to 7,442.52 acre-feet per year. Enter into Colorado River 
water delivery contracts for Arizona fourth-priority Colorado River 
water entitlements under contract No. 21-XX-30-W0717 with The Cibola 
Sportsman's Club, Inc. for 216 acre-feet per year, contract No. 21-XX-
30-W0718 with Alfred F. and Erma Jean Bishop Family Trust for 420 acre-
feet per year, and contract No. 21-XX-30-W0719 with Bruce and Lora 
Cathcart and James and Maria Cathcart for 126 acre-feet per year. 
Contract executed on September 12, 2022.
    Columbia-Pacific Northwest--Interior Region 9: Bureau of 
Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83706-
1234, telephone 208-378-5344.
    Discontinued contract action:
    5. Nine water user entities of the Arrowrock Division, Boise 
Project, Idaho: Repayment agreements with districts with spaceholder 
contracts for repayment, per legislation, of the

[[Page 77636]]

reimbursable share of costs to rehabilitate Arrowrock Dam Outlet Gates 
under the O&M program.
    Completed contract actions:
    8. Benton ID, Yakima Project, Washington: Replacement contract to, 
among other things, withdraw Benton ID from the Sunnyside Division 
Board of Control; provide for direct payment of Benton ID's share of 
total operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement costs incurred by 
the United States in operation of storage division; and establish 
Benton ID responsibility for operation, maintenance, repair, and 
replacement for irrigation distribution system. Contract executed on 
April 7, 2021.
    14. Quincy-Columbia Basin ID, Columbia Basin Project, Washington: 
Long-term contract to renew master water service contract No. 14-06-
100-9166, as supplemented, to authorize the District to deliver project 
water to up to 10,000 First Phase Continuation Acres located within the 
District, and to deliver additional project water to land irrigated 
under the District's repayment contract during the peak period of 
irrigation water use annually. Contract executed on October 7, 2021.
    California-Great Basin--Interior Region 10: Bureau of Reclamation, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-
5250.
    New contract actions:
    49. San Luis Canal Company, Central California ID, Firebaugh Canal 
Water District, Columbia Canal Company (collectively San Joaquin River 
Exchange Contractors), CVP, California: Amend 1968 Second Amended 
Contract for Exchange of Waters.
    Modified contract actions:
    9. Tuolumne Utilities District (formerly Tuolumne Regional WD), 
CVP, California: Long-term water service contract for up to 6,000 acre-
feet from New Melones Reservoir, and possibly a long-term contract for 
storage of non-project water in New Melones Reservoir.
    11. San Luis WD, CVP, California: Proposed partial assignment of 
4,449 acre-feet of the District's CVP supply to Santa Nella County WD 
for M&I use.
    Discontinued contract action:
    4. Redwood Valley County WD, SRPA, California: Restructuring the 
repayment schedule pursuant to Public Law 100-516.

Christopher Beardsley,
Director, Policy and Programs.
[FR Doc. 2022-27431 Filed 12-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4332-90-P