[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21011-21013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9739]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


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

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of proposed contractual actions that 
are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last 
publication of this notice on January 21, 2000. The January 21, 2000, 
notice should be used as a reference point to identify changes. This 
annual notice should be used as a point of reference to identify 
changes in future notices. 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. 
Additional Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) 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. 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 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.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra L. Simons, Manager, Water 
Contracts and Repayment Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, 
Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-445-2902.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 226 of the Reclamation 
Reform Act of 1982 (96 Stat. 1273) and 43 CFR 426.20 of the rules and 
regulations published in 52 FR 11954, Apr. 13, 1987, Reclamation will 
publish notice of the 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. Pursuant to the ``Final Revised Public 
Participation Procedures'' for water resource-related contract 
negotiations, published in 47 FR 7763, Feb. 22, 1982, a tabulation is 
provided of all proposed contractual actions in each of the five 
Reclamation regions. Each proposed action is, or is expected to be, in 
some stage of the contract negotiation process in 2000. 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:

[[Page 21012]]

    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 (80 Stat. 383), 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 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. As a minimum, the regional director shall 
furnish revised contracts to all parties who requested the contract in 
response to the initial public notice.
Acronym Definitions Used Herein
(BON)  Basis of Negotiation
(BCP)  Boulder Canyon Project
(CAP)  Central Arizona Project
(CUP)  Central Utah Project
(CVP)  Central Valley Project
(CRSP)  Colorado River Storage Project
(D&MC)  Drainage and Minor Construction
(FR)  Federal Register
(IDD)  Irrigation and Drainage District
(ID)  Irrigation District
(M&I)  Municipal and Industrial
(NEPA)  National Environmental Policy Act
(O&M)  Operation and Maintenance
(P-SMBP)  Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
(PPR)  Present Perfected Right
(RRA)  Reclamation Reform Act
(R&B)  Rehabilitation and Betterment
(SOD)  Safety of Dams
(SRPA)  Small Reclamation Projects Act
(WCUA)  Water Conservation and Utilization Act
(WD)  Water District

    Pacific Northwest Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis 
Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234, telephone 208-378-5346.
Modified Contract Action
    4. Pioneer Ditch Company, Boise Project, Idaho; Clark and Edwards 
Canal and Irrigation Company, Enterprise Canal Company, Ltd., Lenroot 
Canal Company, Liberty Park Canal Company, Parsons Ditch Company, 
Poplar ID, Wearyrick Ditch Company, all in the Minidoka Project, Idaho; 
Juniper Flat District Improvement Company, Wapinitia Project, Oregon: 
Amendatory repayment and water service contracts; purpose is to conform 
to the RRA (Public Law 97-293).
Discontinued Contract Action
    10. Five individual contractors, Umatilla Project, Oregon: 
Repayment agreements for reimbursable cost of dam safety repairs to 
McKay Dam. Agreements not needed, contractors are being billed for 
reimbursement.
Completed Contract Action
    4. Pioneer Ditch Company, Boise Project, Idaho; Clark and Edwards 
Canal and Irrigation Company, Enterprise Canal Company, Ltd., Lenroot 
Canal Company, Liberty Park Canal Company, Parsons Ditch Company, 
Poplar ID, Wearyrick Ditch Company, all in the Minidoka Project, Idaho; 
Juniper Flat District Improvement Company, Wapinitia Project, Oregon; 
Roza ID, Yakima Project, Washington: Amendatory repayment and water 
service contracts; purpose is to conform to the RRA (Public Law 97-
293). Contract with Roza ID executed February 14, 2000.
    Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250.
New Contract Actions
    36. Townsend Flat Ditch Company or its shareholders, Centerville 
Community Services District and McConnell Foundation, CVP, California: 
Proposed exchange contract for 6,000 acre-feet of water in relation to 
the Clear Creek restoration and fish passage program in Section 
3406(b)(12) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act.
    37. Colusa County WD, CVP, California: Proposed long-term Warren 
Act contract for conveyance of up to 4,500 acre-feet of ground water 
through the Tehama-Colusa Canal.
Discontinued Contract Actions
    22. Widren WD, CVP, California: Assignment of 2,940 acre-feet of 
Widren WD's water service contract to the City of Tracy. The assignment 
will require approval of conversion of the District's CVP irrigation 
water to M&I.
    23. Warren Act Contracts, CVP, California: Execution of long-term 
Warren Act contracts with various entities for conveyance of non-
project water in the Delta-Mendota Canal.
    Lower Colorado region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada 
Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone 
702-293-8536.
New Contract Actions
    58. San Carlos-Apache Tribe, CAP, Arizona: Agreement among the 
United States, Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power 
District, and Salt River Valley Water Users' Association for exchange 
of up to 14,000 acre-feet of Black River Water for CAP water.
    59. San Carlos-Apache Tribe, Arizona: Agreement among the San 
Carlos-Apache Tribe, the United States, and Phelps Dodge Corporation 
for the lease of Black River Water.
    60. Arizona Water Banking Authority and Southern Nevada Water 
Authority, BCP, Arizona and Nevada: Contract to provide for the 
interstate contractual distribution of Colorado River water through the 
offstream storage of Colorado River water in Arizona, the development 
by the Arizona Water Banking Authority of intentionally created unused 
apportionment, and the release of this intentionally created unused 
apportionment by the Secretary of the Interior to Southern Nevada Water 
Authority.
Discontinued Contract Action
    55. Cibola Valley IDD, BCP, Arizona: Amendment to the District's 
Colorado River water delivery contract to permanently reduce the 
District's water entitlement by approximately 600 acre-feet per year to 
facilitate the transfer of such water to a golf course development in 
the Lake Havasu area. New or amendatory Colorado River water delivery 
contract with the entitlement holder for the transferred water.
Completed Contract Actions
    34. Bureau of Land Management, BCP, California: Agreement for 1,000 
acre-feet

[[Page 21013]]

per year of Colorado River water in accordance with Secretarial 
Reservation.
    54. Miscellaneous PPR No.11, BCP, California: Assign the contract 
from Dickman et al. to Sonny Gowan.
    Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State 
Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-
4419.
Completed Contract Action
    1. Individual irrigators, M&I, and miscellaneous water users, 
Initial Units, CRSP; Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico: Temporary 
(interim) water service contracts for surplus project water for 
irrigation or M&I use to provide up to 10,000 acre-feet of water 
annually for terms up to 10 years; long-term contracts for similar 
service for up to 1,000 acre-feet of water annually.
    (f) Margarett W. Furey, Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, CRSP, Colorado: 
Contract for 1 acre-foot to support augmentation plan. R&D Investment 
has filed an application with the Division 4 Water Court of the State 
of Colorado seeking decree for a domestic well to serve the Ms. Furey 
domestic in-house residential use, lawn and garden irrigation, pond 
evaporation, and stock watering.
    Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal 
Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900, 
telephone 406-247-7730.
New Contract Actions
    37. North Fork Valley Ditch (Individual), Shoshone Project, Buffalo 
Bill Dam, Wyoming: Exchange water service contract not to exceed 1,000 
acre-feet of water to service 855 acres.
    38. Virginia L. and Earl K. Sauerwein (Individual), Shoshone 
Project, Buffalo Bill Dam, Wyoming: Exchange water service contract not 
to exceed 100 acre-feet of water to service 126 acres.
    39. Denise J. Evans (Individual), Shoshone Project, Buffalo Bill 
Dam, Wyoming: Exchange water service contract not to exceed 100 acre-
feet of water to service 48.5 acres.
    40. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming: Initiate negotiations for renewal 
of long-term water service contracts for Burbank Ditch, New Grattan 
Ditch Company, Torrington ID, Lucerne Canal and Power Company, and 
Wright and Murphy Ditch Company.
    41. Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Nebraska.: Initiate negotiations for 
renewal of long-term water service contracts for Bridgeport, 
Enterprise, and Mitchell ID, and Central Nebraska Public Power and 
Irrigation District.
Modified Contract Actions
    7. Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Yellowtail Unit, Lower 
Bighorn Division, P-SMBP, Montana: The Northern Cheyenne Reserved Water 
Rights Settlement Act of 1992 allocates to the Tribe, 30,000 acre-feet 
of water per year stored at Bighorn Reservoir, Montana. In accordance 
with section 9 of the Act, Reclamation and the Tribe must negotiate a 
management agreement for the water. The Tribe is to pay the United 
States both capital and O&M costs for water the Tribe uses or sells 
from this storage for M&I purposes. Reclamation and the Tribe are 
continuing to negotiate the terms of the Agreement. A date for 
execution has not been scheduled.
    9. Angostura ID, Angostura Unit, P-SMBP, South Dakota: The District 
had a contract for water service which expired on December 31, 1995. An 
interim 3-year contract provided for a continuing water supply and the 
District to operate and maintain the dam and reservoir. The proposed 
long-term contract would provide a continued water supply for the 
District and the District's continued O&M of the facility. A BON for 
another 3-year interim contract has been submitted for approval.
    11. P-SMBP, Kansas and Nebraska: Anticipate executing renewal of 
long-term water supply contracts with Kansas-Bostwick, Nebraska-
Bostwick, Frenchman Valley, Frenchman-Cambridge, and Almena IDs by the 
end of July 2000. The renewed long-term water service contracts will 
take effect January 1, 2001.
    14. P-SMBP, Kansas: Water service contracts with the Kirwin and 
Webster IDs in the Solomon River Basin in Kansas will be extended for a 
period of 4 years in accordance with Public Law 104-326 enacted October 
19, 1996. Water service contracts will be renewed prior to expiration. 
The 4-year contract extension for Kirwin ID has been executed.
    21. Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Water service contract 
expired June 1997. Initiating renewal of existing contract for 25 years 
for up to 480 acre-feet of storage from Tiber Reservoir to irrigate 160 
acres. Received approved BON from the Commissioner. Currently 
developing the contract and consulting with the Tribes regarding the 
Water Rights Compact. A 1-year interim contract has been issued to 
continue delivery of water until the necessary actions can be completed 
to renew a long-term contract. Another 1-year interim contract will be 
issued to continue the delivery of water until the long-term renewal 
process can be completed.
    22. Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Initiating 25-year water 
service contract for up to 750 acre-feet of storage from Tiber 
Reservoir to irrigate 250 acres. A 1-year temporary contract has been 
issued to allow additional time to complete necessary actions required 
for the long-term contract. Another 1-year temporary contract will be 
issued to continue the delivery of water until the long-term renewal 
process can be completed.
    23. Lower Marias Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Water service contract 
expired May 31, 1998. Initiating renewal of the long-term water service 
contract to provide 4,570 acre-feet of storage from Tiber Reservoir to 
irrigate 2,285 acres. A 1-year interim contract has been issued to 
continue delivery of water until the necessary actions can be completed 
to renew the long-term contract. Another 1-year temporary contract will 
be issued to continue the delivery of water until the long-term renewal 
process can be completed.
    25. Savage ID, P-SMBP, Montana: An interim contract has been 
entered into with the District. The District is currently seeking title 
transfer. The contract is subject to renewal on an annual basis pending 
outcome of the title transfer process. A second interim contract will 
be entered into with the District pending possible long-term renewal of 
the water service portion of the contract.
    34. Tom Green County and Improvement District No. 1, San Angelo 
Project, Texas: The irrigation district is requesting a deferment of 
its 2000 construction payment. A BON has been submitted for approval.
Completed Contract Action
    14. P-SMBP, Kansas: Water service contracts with the Kirwin and 
Webster IDs in the Solomon River Basin in Kansas will be extended for a 
period of 4 years in accordance with Public Law 104-326 enacted October 
19, 1996. Water service contracts will be renewed prior to expiration. 
The 4-year contract extension for Kirwin ID has been executed.

    Dated: April 12, 2000.
Wayne O. Deason,
Associate Director, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 00-9739 Filed 4-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P