Reclamation Bureau November 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice on August 22, 2007. 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.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the California Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet on December 13, 2007. This meeting will be held jointly with the California Bay-Delta Authority. The agenda for the joint meeting will include discussions with State and Federal agency representatives on CALFED End of Stage 1 decisions and planning for Stage 2 actions for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program (Program); and approval of the 2007 Statement of Program Accomplishments and Progress, and the 2008 Program Plans. The meeting will also include reports from the Lead Scientist and the Independent Science Board, along with updates on Delta Vision, Delta Risk Management Strategy, Bay-Delta Conservation Plan, Program Performance and Tracking, Performance Measures, and an Environmental Justice Framework.

The Department of the Interior (Department), acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), has issued a final environmental impact statement (Final EIS) on the proposed adoption of specific Colorado River Lower Basin shortage guidelines and coordinated reservoir management strategies to address operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, particularly under low reservoir conditions. This action is proposed in order to provide a greater degree of certainty to U.S. Colorado River water users and managers of the Colorado River Basin by providing detailed and objective guidelines for the operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, thereby allowing water managers and water users in the Lower Basin to know when, and by how much, water deliveries will be reduced in drought and other low reservoir conditions. The Department proposes that these guidelines be interim in duration and extend through 2026. Cooperating agencies are the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Western Area Power Administration, and the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission.