[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 60918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29827]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating 
Water Conservation Plans

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of draft decision of evaluation of water conservation 
plan for Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District.

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SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project 
Improvement Act (CVPIA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) 
developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation 
Plans (Criteria) dated April 30, 1993, and revised in September 1996. 
These Criteria were developed based on information provided during 
public scoping and public review sessions held throughout Reclamation's 
Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation uses these Criteria to evaluate 
the adequacy of all water conservation plans developed by project 
contracts in the MP Region, including those required by the Reclamation 
Reform Act of 1982. The Criteria were developed and the plans evaluated 
for the purpose of promoting the most efficient water use reasonably 
achievable by all MP Region contractors. Reclamation made a commitment 
(stated within the Criteria) to publish a notice of its draft 
determination on the adequacy of each contractor's water conservation 
plan in the Federal Register to allow the public a minimum of 30 days 
to comment on its preliminary determinations. This program is on-going; 
an updated list will be published to recognize districts as plans are 
revised to meet the Criteria.

DATES: All public comments must be received by December 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, Bureau of 
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-402, Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To be placed on a mailing list for any subsequent information, please 
contact Lucille Billingsley at the address above, or by telephone at 
(916) 978-5215 (TDD 978-5608).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provisions of Section 3405(e) of the 
CVPIA (Title 34 of Pub. L. 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior] 
shall establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project 
water conservation best management practices that shall * * * develop 
criteria. For evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans 
developed by project contractors, including those plans required by 
section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.'' Also, according to 
Section 3405(e)(1), these criteria will be developed ``* * * with the 
purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency 
reasonably achievable by project contractors using best available cost-
effective technology and best management practices.''
    The MP Criteria states that all parties (districts) that contract 
with Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial contracts 
over 2,000 irrigable acre-feet and agricultural contacts over 2,000 
irrigable acres) will prepare water conservation plans which will be 
evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information 
detailed in the steps listed below to develop, implement, monitor, and 
update their water conservation plans. The steps are:
    1. Coordinate with other agencies and the public.
    2. Describe the district.
    3. Inventory water resources.
    4. Review the past water conservation plan and activities.
    5. Identify best management practices to be implemented.
    6. Develop schedules, budgets, and projected results.
    7. Review, evaluate, and adopt the water conservation plan.
    8. Implement, monitor, and update the water conservation plan.
    The MP contractor listed below has developed a water conservation 
plan which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined meet 
the requirements of the Criteria.

<bullet> Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District

    Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft) 
determinations at this time is invited. Copies of the plans listed 
above will be available for review at Reclamation's MP Regional Office 
and MP's area offices. If you wish to review a copy of the plans, 
please contact Ms. Billingsley to find the office nearest you.

    Dated: November 6, 1997.
Robert F. Stackhouse,
Regional Resources Manager.
[FR Doc. 97-29827 Filed 11-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M