Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Implementation of the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas, 14886-14888 [2016-05889]

Download as PDF 14886 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices Lewandowski at the address provided above. Comments delivered via mail should be labeled ‘‘Attn: 2017–2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program Draft Programmatic EIS.’’ Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous comments. Public Meetings: Thirteen public meetings will be held from March 29, 2016, through April 14, 2016, to obtain comments on the 2017–2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program Draft Programmatic EIS. Meetings in Washington, DC, Houston, TX, New Orleans, LA and Anchorage, AK, will be open house style meetings and will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. local time, except for New Orleans where the meeting will be held from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. local time. At most of the other Alaska locations, meetings will be held from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. local time in a facilitated group format, except for Point Lay which will occur from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. local time. The Fairbanks and Barrow meetings will be held in a hybrid open house/facilitated group format. Meetings will be held on the following dates and at the following locations. Washington, DC asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Alaska • March 29, 2016; Kaktovik Community Center, 2051 Barter Avenue, Kaktovik, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ March 29, 2016; Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Chambers, 163 Lagoon Street, Kotzebue, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ March 30, 2016, Inupiat Heritage Center, 5421 North Star Street, Barrow, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ March 30, 2016; Kisik Community Center, 2230 2nd Avenue, Nuiqsut, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ March 31, 2016; Kali School, 1029 Qasigiakik Street, Point Lay, Alaska; 3–6 p.m. Æ March 31, 2016; City Qalgi Center, Point Hope, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Gulf of Mexico Æ April 12, 2016; Hyatt Regency Houston, 1200 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas; 3–7 p.m.; validated valet parking at hotel. Æ April 14, 2016; 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana; 2–6 p.m.; free parking. Dated: March 8, 2016. Abigail Ross Hopper, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [FR Doc. 2016–06110 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation [RR04310000, 16XR0680A1, RX002361010021000] Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Implementation of the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas AGENCY: • April 4, 2016; Marriott Metro Center, 775 12th St. NW., Washington, DC 3–7 p.m.; valet parking at no charge to meeting attendees up to 8 hours. VerDate Sep<11>2014 Æ March 31, 2016; R. James Community Center, Wainwright, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ April 4, 2016; Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center, 101 Dunkel Street, Fairbanks, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Æ April 5, 2016; Embassy Suites, 600 East Benson Boulevard, Anchorage, Alaska; 3–7 p.m.; free parking. Æ April 6, 2016, Ninilchik School, 15735 Sterling Highway, Ninilchik, Alaska; 7–10 p.m. Jkt 238001 Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. Notice. ACTION: The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on continuing to implement the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project(Operating Agreement), and to implement long-term contracts for storage of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. The Operating Agreement is a description of how Reclamation allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to Mexico, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico, and the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in Texas. DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS should be submitted on or before Monday, May 9, 2016. Public hearings to receive oral or written comments will be held on: SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 • Thursday, April 7, 2016, from 4 to 7 p.m., Albuquerque, New Mexico; and • Tuesday, April 12, 2016, from 6 to 9 p.m., Las Cruces, New Mexico. A court recorder will be available to take comments from the public before a hearing officer during this time. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ms. Rhea Graham, Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, ALB–103, 555 Broadway Boulevard NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102; or via email to rgraham@ usbr.gov. Public hearings will be held in the following locations: • Albuquerque—Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway Boulevard NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico. • Las Cruces—Elephant Butte Irrigation District, 530 South Melendres Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico. To request a compact disc of the Draft EIS, please contact Ms. Rhea Graham as indicated above, or call (505) 462–3560. The Draft EIS may be viewed at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Web site at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/ eis.html. For those without Internet access, copies of the EIS are available for public inspection at specified government and quasi-state offices. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for specific locations where the Draft EIS is available for public review and inspection. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rhea Graham, EIS Project Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, via email at rgraham@usbr.gov, or at (505) 462– 3560. This Draft EIS examines whether to continue to implement the Operating Agreement provisions consisting of a diversion ratio adjustment provision and a carryover accounting provision when allocating, releasing from storage, and delivering Rio Grande Project water; as well as whether to store San JuanChama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. The area of analysis for the Draft EIS extends from the San Marcial Railroad Bridge above Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico to the El Paso/ Hudspeth County Line in Texas; the diversion headings where Reclamation delivers Rio Grande Project allocations are located between Caballo Dam and International Dam. Reclamation allocates Rio Grande Project water supplies such that the diversion allocations to Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) and El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 (EPCWID) are proportionate to each district’s respective acreages. After annual calculation of Rio Grande Project SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices allocations, Reclamation delivers water to each district’s diversion headings, and delivers to the International Boundary and Water Commission, in compliance with the Convention of 1906 with Mexico. The proposed Federal action analyzed in this Draft EIS is to continue to implement the Operating Agreement, which fulfills obligations in Reclamation contracts with the EBID and EPCWID, as well as resolves litigation in compliance with the legal settlement State of New Mexico ex rel. Office of the State Engineer v. Elephant Butte Irrigation District, et al. The Operating Agreement is a description of how Reclamation allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water. The provisions adopted in the Operating Agreement reflect the interest of Reclamation, EBID, and EPCWID in the long-term sustainability of the Rio Grande Project. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES The Draft EIS Analyzes Five Alternatives The Draft EIS describes a No-Action Alternative (Alternative 1) and examines four Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2, 3, 4, and 5). All five alternatives were simulated with an integrated surface water/groundwater model developed from historical hydrology to simulate potential future hydrology through the terms of the Operating Agreement, and the simulations show the effect of current climate change scenarios on future hydrology. Reclamation consulted on effects to biological resources under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and the biological opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) may be viewed on the Service’s Web site at https:// www.fws.gov/southwest/es/NewMexico/ ES_bio_op.cfm. Alternative 1: The No-Action Alternative Under Alternative 1, Reclamation would continue implementation through 2050 of the operating procedures defined in the Operating Agreement. Under these operating procedures, both provisions (diversion ratio and carryover allocation) of the Operating Agreement would continue. The implementation of the diversion ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual diversion allocations would continue. The carryover accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement allowing carryover of the unused allotment balance from one year to the next would continue. Under Alternative VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 1, Reclamation would execute a multiyear contract through 2050 for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority to store up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir every year, if reservoir space is available. Alternative 2: No San Juan-Chama Project Storage Alternative 2 would continue to implement the diversion ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual diversion allocations, and continue to implement the carryover accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement, which allow carryover of unused allotment balance from one year to the next. However, there would be no storage of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. San Juan Chama-Project repayment contractors receive their annual water allocations with no provisions for carryover; therefore, contractors can benefit by storing unused annual allocations in Elephant Butte Reservoir for future use. Alternative 3: No Carryover Provision Alternative 3 would continue to implement the diversion ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual diversion allocations, but would eliminate the carryover allocations, and each district would relinquish the unused allotment balance at the end of each calendar year. Alternative 3 would continue to store up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. Alternative 3 is the same as Alternative 1 (No-Action Alternative), except Reclamation would not continue to implement the carryover allocation accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement. Using the hydrology model simulations, the effects of the carryover provision of the Operating Agreement can be determined. Alternative 4: No Diversion Ratio Adjustment Alternative 4 would compute the annual diversion allocations based only on the regression equations in the Operating Agreement, but without adjusting for variations in Rio Grande Project performance from the effects of losses and inflows on deliveries. Alternative 4 would continue to implement the carryover accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement, allowing carryover of unused allotment balance from one year to the next. Alternative 4 would continue to store up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14887 Butte Reservoir. Alternative 4 is the same as Alternative 1 (No-Action Alternative), except Reclamation would not implement the diversion ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement. Using the hydrology model simulations, the effects of the diversion ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement can be determined. Alternative 5: Prior Operating ‘‘Ad Hoc’’ Practices Alternative 5 would compute the annual diversion allocations based only on regression equations that reflect historical conditions and Rio Grande Project performance, without adjusting for variations in Rio Grande Project performance; and also, would eliminate the carryover allocations and each district would relinquish the unused allotment balance at the end of each calendar year. Alternative 5 would continue to store up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. Alternative 5 allows comparison through 2050 of operations under the Operating Agreement and a simulation of procedures prior to the Operating Agreement, by eliminating the carryover and diversion ratio adjustment provisions. Alternative 5 is the best possible representation of prior operating practices in a modeling context, but is not the same as historical operations. Alternative 5 would not continue implementation of the Operating Agreement. Public Review and Where To Find Copies of the Draft EIS Copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review and inspection at the following locations: • Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102. • Bureau of Reclamation, El Paso Field Division, 10737 Gateway West, Suite 350, El Paso, Texas 79935. • Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240–0001. • Elephant Butte Irrigation District, 530 South Melendres Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005. • El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, Main Office, 13247 Alameda Avenue, Clint, Texas 79836. • El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, Canutillo Office, 7254 La Junta Drive, Canutillo, Texas 79835. E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 14888 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices Special Assistance for Public Hearings If special assistance is required to participate in the public hearing, please contact Ms. Tina Villegas at (505) 462– 3542, or via email at tvillegas@usbr.gov. Please contact Ms. Villegas at least 10 working days prior to the hearing. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TTY) is available at 1–800– 877–8339. Public Disclosure Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Dated: February 17, 2016. Brent Rhees, Regional Director. [FR Doc. 2016–05889 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4332–90–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement [S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 167S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 16XS501520] Notice of Proposed Information Collection; Request for Comments for 1029–0117 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue collecting information for Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost. DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by May 17, 2016, to be assured of consideration. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 Comments may be mailed to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203–SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to jtrelease@osmre.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive a copy of the information collection request contact John Trelease, at (202) 208–2783 or by email at jtrelease@osmre.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13), require that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. This notice identifies an information collection that OSMRE will be submitting to OMB for extension. This collection is contained in 30 CFR part 778—Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information. OSMRE has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on reestimates of burden or respondents. OSMRE will request a 3-year term of approval for each information collection activity. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection of information is 1029–0117 and is displayed at 30 CFR 778.8. Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary of the public comments will be included in OSM’s submissions of the information collection request to OMB. Title: 30 CFR part 778—Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information. OMB Control Number: 1029–0117. Summary: Section 507(b) of Public Law 95–87 provides that persons conducting coal mining activities submit to the regulatory authority all relevant information regarding ownership and control of the mining ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 company, their compliance status and history, and authority to mine the property. This information is used to insure all legal, financial and compliance requirements are satisfied prior to issuance or denial of a permit. Bureau Form Number: None. Frequency of Collection: Once. Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining permit applicants and State regulatory authorities. Total Annual Responses: 1,091 permit applicants and 448 State regulatory authorities. Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,512. Total Non-labor Costs: $0. Obligation to Respond: Required in order to obtain or retain benefits. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Dated: March 15, 2016. Harry J. Payne, Chief, Division of Regulatory Support. [FR Doc. 2016–06132 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–05–P INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation Nos. 701–TA–556 and 731– TA–1311 (Preliminary)] Truck and Bus Tires From China; Determinations On the basis of the record 1 developed in the subject investigations, the United States International Trade Commission (‘‘Commission’’) determines, pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (‘‘the Act’’), that there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of truck and bus tires from China, provided for in statistical reporting numbers 4011.20.1015 and 4011.20.5020 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value (‘‘LTFV’’), that are allegedly subsidized by the government of China.2 3 4 1 The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 207.2(f)). 2 Vice Chairman Dean A. Pinkert, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, and Rhonda E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14886-14888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05889]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR04310000, 16XR0680A1, RX002361010021000]


Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings for the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Implementation 
of the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico 
and Texas

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review 
and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on 
continuing to implement the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande 
Project(Operating Agreement), and to implement long-term contracts for 
storage of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. 
The Operating Agreement is a description of how Reclamation allocates, 
releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to Mexico, 
the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico, and the El Paso 
County Water Improvement District No. 1 in Texas.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS should be submitted on or 
before Monday, May 9, 2016.
    Public hearings to receive oral or written comments will be held 
on:
     Thursday, April 7, 2016, from 4 to 7 p.m., Albuquerque, 
New Mexico; and
     Tuesday, April 12, 2016, from 6 to 9 p.m., Las Cruces, New 
Mexico.
    A court recorder will be available to take comments from the public 
before a hearing officer during this time.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ms. Rhea Graham, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, ALB-103, 555 Broadway Boulevard 
NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102; or via email to 
rgraham@usbr.gov.
    Public hearings will be held in the following locations:
     Albuquerque--Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway 
Boulevard NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
     Las Cruces--Elephant Butte Irrigation District, 530 South 
Melendres Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
    To request a compact disc of the Draft EIS, please contact Ms. Rhea 
Graham as indicated above, or call (505) 462-3560.
    The Draft EIS may be viewed at the Bureau of Reclamation's Web site 
at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/eis.html. For those without Internet 
access, copies of the EIS are available for public inspection at 
specified government and quasi-state offices.
    See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for specific locations 
where the Draft EIS is available for public review and inspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rhea Graham, EIS Project Manager, 
Bureau of Reclamation, via email at rgraham@usbr.gov, or at (505) 462-
3560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Draft EIS examines whether to continue 
to implement the Operating Agreement provisions consisting of a 
diversion ratio adjustment provision and a carryover accounting 
provision when allocating, releasing from storage, and delivering Rio 
Grande Project water; as well as whether to store San Juan-Chama 
Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. The area of analysis for the 
Draft EIS extends from the San Marcial Railroad Bridge above Elephant 
Butte Reservoir in New Mexico to the El Paso/Hudspeth County Line in 
Texas; the diversion headings where Reclamation delivers Rio Grande 
Project allocations are located between Caballo Dam and International 
Dam.
    Reclamation allocates Rio Grande Project water supplies such that 
the diversion allocations to Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) 
and El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 (EPCWID) are 
proportionate to each district's respective acreages. After annual 
calculation of Rio Grande Project

[[Page 14887]]

allocations, Reclamation delivers water to each district's diversion 
headings, and delivers to the International Boundary and Water 
Commission, in compliance with the Convention of 1906 with Mexico.
    The proposed Federal action analyzed in this Draft EIS is to 
continue to implement the Operating Agreement, which fulfills 
obligations in Reclamation contracts with the EBID and EPCWID, as well 
as resolves litigation in compliance with the legal settlement State of 
New Mexico ex rel. Office of the State Engineer v. Elephant Butte 
Irrigation District, et al.
    The Operating Agreement is a description of how Reclamation 
allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project 
water. The provisions adopted in the Operating Agreement reflect the 
interest of Reclamation, EBID, and EPCWID in the long-term 
sustainability of the Rio Grande Project.

The Draft EIS Analyzes Five Alternatives

    The Draft EIS describes a No-Action Alternative (Alternative 1) and 
examines four Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2, 3, 4, and 5). All 
five alternatives were simulated with an integrated surface water/
groundwater model developed from historical hydrology to simulate 
potential future hydrology through the terms of the Operating 
Agreement, and the simulations show the effect of current climate 
change scenarios on future hydrology. Reclamation consulted on effects 
to biological resources under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, 
and the biological opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service) may be viewed on the Service's Web site at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/NewMexico/ES_bio_op.cfm.

Alternative 1: The No-Action Alternative

    Under Alternative 1, Reclamation would continue implementation 
through 2050 of the operating procedures defined in the Operating 
Agreement. Under these operating procedures, both provisions (diversion 
ratio and carryover allocation) of the Operating Agreement would 
continue. The implementation of the diversion ratio adjustment 
provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual diversion 
allocations would continue. The carryover accounting provisions of the 
Operating Agreement allowing carryover of the unused allotment balance 
from one year to the next would continue. Under Alternative 1, 
Reclamation would execute a multi-year contract through 2050 for the 
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority to store up to 50,000 
acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte 
Reservoir every year, if reservoir space is available.

Alternative 2: No San Juan-Chama Project Storage

    Alternative 2 would continue to implement the diversion ratio 
adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual 
diversion allocations, and continue to implement the carryover 
accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement, which allow carryover 
of unused allotment balance from one year to the next. However, there 
would be no storage of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte 
Reservoir. San Juan Chama-Project repayment contractors receive their 
annual water allocations with no provisions for carryover; therefore, 
contractors can benefit by storing unused annual allocations in 
Elephant Butte Reservoir for future use.

Alternative 3: No Carryover Provision

    Alternative 3 would continue to implement the diversion ratio 
adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement in computing annual 
diversion allocations, but would eliminate the carryover allocations, 
and each district would relinquish the unused allotment balance at the 
end of each calendar year. Alternative 3 would continue to store up to 
50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant 
Butte Reservoir. Alternative 3 is the same as Alternative 1 (No-Action 
Alternative), except Reclamation would not continue to implement the 
carryover allocation accounting provisions of the Operating Agreement. 
Using the hydrology model simulations, the effects of the carryover 
provision of the Operating Agreement can be determined.

Alternative 4: No Diversion Ratio Adjustment

    Alternative 4 would compute the annual diversion allocations based 
only on the regression equations in the Operating Agreement, but 
without adjusting for variations in Rio Grande Project performance from 
the effects of losses and inflows on deliveries. Alternative 4 would 
continue to implement the carryover accounting provisions of the 
Operating Agreement, allowing carryover of unused allotment balance 
from one year to the next. Alternative 4 would continue to store up to 
50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant 
Butte Reservoir. Alternative 4 is the same as Alternative 1 (No-Action 
Alternative), except Reclamation would not implement the diversion 
ratio adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement. Using the 
hydrology model simulations, the effects of the diversion ratio 
adjustment provision of the Operating Agreement can be determined.

Alternative 5: Prior Operating ``Ad Hoc'' Practices

    Alternative 5 would compute the annual diversion allocations based 
only on regression equations that reflect historical conditions and Rio 
Grande Project performance, without adjusting for variations in Rio 
Grande Project performance; and also, would eliminate the carryover 
allocations and each district would relinquish the unused allotment 
balance at the end of each calendar year. Alternative 5 would continue 
to store up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of San Juan-Chama Project 
water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. Alternative 5 allows comparison 
through 2050 of operations under the Operating Agreement and a 
simulation of procedures prior to the Operating Agreement, by 
eliminating the carryover and diversion ratio adjustment provisions. 
Alternative 5 is the best possible representation of prior operating 
practices in a modeling context, but is not the same as historical 
operations. Alternative 5 would not continue implementation of the 
Operating Agreement.

Public Review and Where To Find Copies of the Draft EIS

    Copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review and 
inspection at the following locations:
     Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, 555 
Broadway NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.
     Bureau of Reclamation, El Paso Field Division, 10737 
Gateway West, Suite 350, El Paso, Texas 79935.
     Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the 
Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 
20240-0001.
     Elephant Butte Irrigation District, 530 South Melendres 
Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005.
     El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, Main 
Office, 13247 Alameda Avenue, Clint, Texas 79836.
     El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, Canutillo 
Office, 7254 La Junta Drive, Canutillo, Texas 79835.

[[Page 14888]]

Special Assistance for Public Hearings

    If special assistance is required to participate in the public 
hearing, please contact Ms. Tina Villegas at (505) 462-3542, or via 
email at tvillegas@usbr.gov. Please contact Ms. Villegas at least 10 
working days prior to the hearing. A telephone device for the hearing 
impaired (TTY) is available at 1-800-877-8339.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: February 17, 2016.
Brent Rhees,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-05889 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4332-90-P
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