[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 148 (Thursday, August 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42873-42877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16696]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[212A2100DD/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

[[Page 42874]]

reflect current costs of administration, operation, maintenance, and 
rehabilitation.

DATES: The irrigation assessment rates are current as of January 1, 
2021.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Proposed Rate Adjustment was 
published in the Federal Register on May 10, 2021 (86 FR 24884) 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 July 9, 2021.

Did BIA defer or change any proposed rate increases?

    No. BIA did not defer or change any proposed rate increases.

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

    No. BIA did not receive any comments on the proposed irrigation 
assessment rate adjustments.

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 irrigation project that serves you, or you can use the internet 
site for the Government Publishing 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Bryan Mercier, 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  Larry Nelson, Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager, P.O. Box 40,
                                     Pablo, MT 59855, Telephone: (406)
                                     745-2661.
Fort Hall Irrigation Project......  David Bollinger, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, Building #2 Bannock
                                     Avenue, Fort Hall, ID 83203-0220,
                                     Telephone: (208) 238-1992.
Wapato Irrigation Project.........  Pete Plant, Project Administrator,
                                     413 South Camas Avenue, Wapato, WA
                                     98951-0220, Telephone: (509) 877-
                                     3155.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Rocky Mountain Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Susan Messerly, 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,
                                     P.O. Box 880, Browning, MT 59417,
                                     Telephones: (406) 338-7544
                                     Superintendent, (406) 338-7519
                                     Irrigation Project Manager.
Crow Irrigation Project...........  Clifford Serawop, Superintendent,
                                     Jim Gappa, Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager (BIA), (Project
                                     operation & maintenance performed
                                     by Water Users Association), P.O.
                                     Box 69, Crow Agency, MT 59022,
                                     Telephones: (406) 638-2672
                                     Superintendent, (406) 247-7998
                                     Acting Irrigation Project Manager.
Fort Belknap Irrigation Project...  Mark Azure, Superintendent, Jim
                                     Gappa, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager (BIA), (Project operation &
                                     maintenance contracted to Fort
                                     Belknap Indian Community under PL
                                     93-638), 158 Tribal Way, Suite B,
                                     Harlem, MT 59526, Telephones: (406)
                                     353-2901 Superintendent, (406) 247-
                                     7998 Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, (406) 353-8466 Tribal
                                     Irrigation Office.
Fort Peck Irrigation Project......  Anna Eder, Superintendent, Jim
                                     Gappa, Acting Irrigation Project
                                     Manager (BIA), (Project operation &
                                     maintenance performed by Fort Peck
                                     Water Users Association), P.O. Box
                                     637, Poplar, MT 59255, Telephones:
                                     (406) 768-5312 Superintendent,
                                     (406) 247-7998 Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager, (406) 653-1752
                                     Lead ISO--Huber Wright.
Wind River Irrigation Project.....  Leslie Shakespeare, Superintendent,
                                     Jim Gappa, Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager (BIA), (Project
                                     operation & maintenance for Little
                                     Wind, Johnstown, and Lefthand Units
                                     contracted to Tribes under PL 93-
                                     638; Little Wind-Ray and Upper Wind
                                     Units operation & maintenance
                                     performed by Ray Canal, A Canal,
                                     and Crowheart Water Users
                                     Associations), P.O. Box 158, Fort
                                     Washakie, WY 82514, Telephones:
                                     (307) 332-7810 Superintendent,
                                     (406) 247-7998 Acting Irrigation
                                     Project Manager.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Southwest Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Patricia L. Mattingly, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
 Southwest Regional Office, 1001 Indian School Road NW, 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 42875]]

 
                         Western Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Bryan Bowker, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western
Regional Office, 2600 North Central Avenue, 4th Floor Mailroom, Phoenix,
                  AZ 85004, Telephone: (602) 379-6600.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project.  Davetta Ameelyenah, Superintendent,
                                     Gary Colvin, Irrigation Project
                                     Manager, 12124 1st Avenue, Parker,
                                     AZ 85344, Telephones: (928) 669-
                                     7111 Superintendent, (928) 662-4392
                                     Irrigation Project Manager.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project....  Joseph McDade, Superintendent,
                                     (Project operation & maintenance
                                     compacted to Shoshone-Paiute Tribes
                                     under PL 93-638), 2719 Argent
                                     Avenue, Suite 4, Gateway Plaza,
                                     Elko, NV 89801, Telephones: (775)
                                     738-5165 Superintendent, (208) 759-
                                     3100 Tribal Office.
Yuma Project, Indian Unit.........  Denni Shields, Superintendent,
                                     (Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) owns
                                     the Project and is responsible for
                                     operation & maintenance), 256 South
                                     Second Avenue, Suite D, Yuma, AZ
                                     85364, Telephones: (928) 782-1202
                                     Superintendent, (928) 343-8100 BOR
                                     Area Office Manager.
San Carlos Irrigation Project       Ferris Begay, Project Manager (BIA),
 (Indian Works and Joint Works).     Kyle Varvel, Acting Supervisory
                                     Civil Engineer (BIA), (Portions of
                                     Indian Works operation &
                                     maintenance compacted to Gila River
                                     Indian Community under PL 93-638),
                                     13805 North Arizona Boulevard,
                                     Coolidge, AZ 85128, Telephones:
                                     (520) 723-6225 Project Manager,
                                     (520) 562-3372 Acting Supervisory
                                     Civil Engineer, (520) 562-6720 Gila
                                     River Indian Irrigation & Drainage
                                     District.
Uintah Irrigation Project.........  Antonio Pingree, Superintendent, Ken
                                     Asay, Irrigation System Manager
                                     (BIA), (Project operation &
                                     maintenance performed by Uintah
                                     Indian Irrigation Project Operation
                                     and Maintenance Company), P.O. Box
                                     130, Fort Duchesne, UT 84026,
                                     Telephones: (435) 722-4300
                                     Superintendent, (435) 722-4344
                                     Irrigation System Manager, (435)
                                     724-5200 Uintah Indian Irrigation
                                     Operation and Maintenance Company.
Walker River Irrigation Project...  Gerry Emm, Acting Superintendent,
                                     311 East Washington Street, Carson
                                     City, NV 89701, Telephone: (775)
                                     887-3500.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What irrigation assessments or charges are adjusted by this notice?

    The rate table below contains final rates for the 2021 and 2022 
calendar years for all irrigation projects where we recover costs of 
administering, operating, maintaining, and rehabilitating them. An 
asterisk immediately following the rate category notes the irrigation 
projects where 2021 rates are different from the 2022 rates.

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                                                                                    Final 2021      Final 2022
                 Project name                             Rate category                rate            rate
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                                           Northwest Region Rate Table
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Flathead Irrigation Project...................  Basic per acre--A...............          $33.50          $33.50
                                                Basic per acre--B...............           16.75           16.75
                                                Minimum charge per tract........           75.00           75.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project..................  Basic per acre *................           58.50           62.50
                                                Minimum charge per tract *......           39.00           40.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project--Minor Units.....  Basic per acre *................           38.00           41.00
                                                Minimum charge per tract *......           39.00           40.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project--Michaud Unit....  Basic per acre *................           63.50           68.50
                                                Pressure per acre *.............           99.50          106.50
                                                Minimum charge per tract *......           39.00           40.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Toppenish/Simcoe     Minimum charge per bill.........           25.00           25.00
 Units.
                                                Basic per acre..................           25.00           25.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Ahtanum Units......  Minimum charge per bill.........           30.00           30.00
                                                Basic per acre..................           30.00           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.........           80.00           80.00
                                                Basic per acre..................           80.00           80.00
Wapato Irrigation Project--Water Rental.......  Minimum charge per bill.........           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..................           20.50           20.50
Crow Irrigation Project--Willow Creek O&M       Basic per acre..................           28.50           28.50
 (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..................           28.50           28.50
 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 *................           17.00           18.00
Fort Peck Irrigation Project..................  Basic per acre..................           27.00           27.00
Wind River Irrigation Project--Units 2, 3 and   Basic per acre..................           25.00           25.00
 4.
Wind River Irrigation Project--Unit 6.........  Basic per acre..................           22.00           22.00
Wind River Irrigation Project--LeClair          Basic per acre..................           47.00           47.00
 District (See Note #1).

[[Page 42876]]

 
Wind River Irrigation Project--Crow Heart Unit  Basic per acre..................           16.50           16.50
Wind River Irrigation Project--A Canal Unit...  Basic per acre..................           16.50           16.50
Wind River Irrigation Project--Riverton Valley  Basic per acre..................           30.65           30.65
 Irrigation District (See Note #1).
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                                           Southwest Region Rate Table
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Pine River Irrigation Project.................  Minimum charge per tract........           50.00           50.00
                                                Basic per acre *................           22.00           22.50
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                                            Western Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project.............  Basic per acre up to 5.75 acre-            61.50           64.00
                                                 feet *.
                                                Excess Water per acre-foot over            18.00           18.00
                                                 5.75 acre-feet.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project................  Basic per acre..................            5.30            5.30
Yuma Project, Indian Unit (See Note #2).......  Basic per acre up to 5.0 acre-            154.50             (+)
                                                 feet *.
                                                Excess Water per acre-foot over            30.00             (+)
                                                 5.0 acre-feet *.
                                                Basic per acre up to 5.0 acre-            154.50             (+)
                                                 feet (Ranch 5) *.
San Carlos Irrigation Project (Joint Works)     Basic per acre *................           25.78           26.00
 (See Note #3).
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Final 2022 Construction Water Rate Schedule:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                                                                               Off project              On project              On project
                                                                                                                               construction        construction--gravity     construction--pump
                                                                                                                                                           water                   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 gal....  No Charge.............  No Charge.
                                                                                                 [dagger].
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                                                                                    Final 2021      Final 2022
                 Project name                             Rate category                rate            rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Carlos Irrigation Project (Indian Works)    Basic per acre *................          $97.78          $90.50
 (See Note #4).
Uintah Irrigation Project.....................  Basic per acre..................           23.00           23.00
                                                Minimum Bill....................           25.00           25.00
Walker River Irrigation Project...............  Basic per acre..................           31.00           31.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Notes irrigation projects where rates are adjusted.
+ These rates have not yet been determined.
[dagger] The excess water rate applies to all water used in excess of 50,000 gallons in any one month.
Note #1: O&M rates for LeClair and Riverton Valley Irrigation Districts apply to trust lands that are serviced
  by each irrigation district. The annual O&M rates are based on budgets submitted by LeClair and Riverton
  Valley Irrigation Districts, respectively.
Note #2: The O&M rate for the Yuma Project, Indian Unit has two components. The first component of the O&M rate
  is established by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the owner and operator of the Project. BOR's rate, which is
  based upon the annual budget submitted by BOR, is $151.00 for 2021 but has not been established for 2022. The
  second component of the O&M rate is established by BIA to cover administrative costs, which includes billing
  and collections for the Project. The 2021 BIA rate component is $3.50/acre. The final 2022 BIA rate component
  is $4.00/acre.
Note #3: The Construction Water Rate Schedule identifies fees assessed for use of irrigation water for non-
  irrigation purposes.
Note #4: The O&M rate for the San Carlos Irrigation Project--Indian Works has three components. The first
  component is established by BIA San Carlos Irrigation Project--Indian Works, the owner and operator of the
  Project; the 2021 rate is $56.00 per acre, and the final 2022 rate is $56.50 per acre. The second component is
  established by BIA San Carlos Irrigation Project--Joint Works; the 2021 rate is $25.78, and the final 2022
  rate is $26.00 per acre. The third component is established by the San Carlos Irrigation Project Joint Control
  Board (comprised of representatives from the Gila River Indian Community and the San Carlos Irrigation and
  Drainage District); the 2021 rate is $16.00 per acre, and the 2022 rate is $8.00 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

[[Page 42877]]

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 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 (OMB), under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. The OMB Control Number is 1076-0141 and expires 
January 31, 2023.

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.

Bryan Newland,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-16696 Filed 8-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P