Reclamation Bureau 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority propose to prepare a joint EIS/EIR to analyze the effects of water transfers from water agencies in northern California to water agencies south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) and in the San Francisco Bay Area. The EIS/EIR will address transfers of Central Valley Project (CVP) and non-CVP water supplies that require use of CVP or State Water Project (SWP) facilities to convey the transferred water. Water transfers would occur through various methods, including, but not limited to, groundwater substitution and cropland idling, and would include individual and multiyear transfers from 2012 through 2022.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Federal lead agency, and the Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board (COMB), the State lead agency, have prepared a Final EIS/EIR for the South Coast Conduit/Upper Reach Reliability Project (SCC/URRP). The SCC/URRP involves installation of a second water pipeline for improving water supply reliability to Cachuma Project (CP) and State Water Project (SWP) customers on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County. A Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIS/EIR was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 (73 FR 49218). The written comment period on the Draft EIS/EIR ended October 3, 2008. The Final EIS/EIR contains responses to all comments received and reflects comments and any additional information received during the review period.

The following Water Management Plans are available for review: Orland-Artois Water District Kern Tulare Water District To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992 (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the Bureau of Reclamation developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria). For the purpose of this announcement, Water Management Plans (Plans) are considered the same as Water Conservation Plans. The above entities have developed a Plan, which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined to meet the requirements of these Criteria. Reclamation is publishing this notice in order to allow the public to review the plans and comment on the preliminary determinations. Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft) determination is invited at this time.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review and comment the ``Hydropower Resource Assessment at Existing Reclamation Facilities'' (HRA) Draft Report. The HRA is an assessment of the economic and technical potential for hydropower development at existing Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) owned non-powered dams and structures.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is notifying the public that Reclamation and the State of Washington have prepared a Draft EIS for the Odessa Subarea Special Study. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is a joint lead with Reclamation in the preparation of this Draft EIS, which will also be used to comply with requirements of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The purpose of Reclamation's Odessa Subarea Special Study is to evaluate alternatives to replace groundwater supply with surface water to irrigate existing, groundwater-irrigated acres in the Odessa Ground Water Management Subarea. Measurements of groundwater levels in wells have shown a substantial decline in much of the Odessa Subarea since the 1980s, which are the earliest available measurements. This has prompted public concern about the declining aquifers and associated economic and other effects, which resulted in a directive by the U.S. Congress and the Washington State legislature to investigate the problem.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Bureau of Reclamation (we, our, or us) intends to submit a request for renewal (with revisions) of an existing approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Individual Landholder's and Farm Operator's Certification and Reporting Forms for Acreage Limitation, 43 CFR part 426 and 43 CFR part 428, OMB Control Number: 1006-0005. We request your comments on the revised RRA forms and specific aspects of the information collection.

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, announces its intent to prepare an EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, on the rehabilitation of San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP) water delivery facilities near the communities of Casa Grande, Coolidge, and Florence in Pinal County, Arizona. SCIP canals convey irrigation water from the Gila River and Central Arizona Project (CAP) to agricultural lands in the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District (SCIDD) and Gila River Indian Community.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is notifying the public that it has prepared a FEIS on the proposed Minidoka Dam Spillway Replacement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior) and Rural Development (Department of Agriculture) are cooperating agencies under NEPA. Alternatives considered in the FEIS are the No Action, as required under NEPA; total replacement of the spillway and headgate structures; and replacement of just the spillway. Total replacement of the spillway and headgate structures is the preferred alternative. Proposed changes in operations following construction are also evaluated, as is designation of special use areas. Reclamation published a Draft EIS in the Federal Register on December 11, 2009 (74 FR 65783) with a public comment period ending on February 5, 2010. The Final EIS includes written responses to all public comments on the Draft EIS. Revisions were made in the FEIS to incorporate responses to comments. In response to comments an adaptive management approach, which includes monitoring of effects resulting from changes in operations, has been added and proposed changes to operations will be made over a 4-year period. These revisions do not significantly change the analysis or results presented in the Draft EIS. However, if monitoring under the adaptive management approach shows different impacts than are documented in this FEIS, and changes to proposed operations (as discussed in this FEIS) are made as a result of monitoring, additional NEPA compliance will be conducted to document those changes and/or impacts.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to prepare a draft EIS that analyzes effects associated with construction of the AVC, a proposed feature of the Fryingpan-Arkansas (Fry-Ark) Project, and the issuance of an Excess Capacity Master Contract to Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Southeastern). The proposed Federal action is to construct the pipeline to provide treated water to the service area in southeastern Colorado. Towns in the service area need to construct new or improved water treatment systems, supplement their current water supply, and/or purchase other water supplies to replace poor quality water. Some also need more water to meet demands of a growing population. The proposed Federal action associated with the Excess Capacity Master Contract is to issue a long-term contract to Southeastern for storage of non-Fry-Ark Project water in Pueblo Reservoir, a feature of the Fry-Ark Project. The water would be used by several water providers within Southeastern's boundaries.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and were pending through December 31, 2009, and contract actions that have been completed or discontinued since the last publication of this notice on November 6, 2009. From the date of this publication, future notices during this calendar year will be limited to new, modified, discontinued, or completed contract actions. 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 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.

The Department of the Interior (Department) through the Bureau of Reclamation published a notice of intent and notice of public scoping meetings for an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) in the Federal Register on June 14, 2010. The notice contained an incorrect date for when the Department will accept scoping comments for this EIS/EIR.

This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended). Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is renewing the charter for the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group. The purpose of the Adaptive Management Work Group is to advise and to provide recommendations to the Secretary with respect to the operation of Glen Canyon Dam and the exercise of other authorities pursuant to applicable Federal law.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Federal lead agency, and Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), acting as project administrator of the North Bay Water Reuse Authority (NBWRA) and the State lead agency, have prepared a Final EIR/EIS for the implementation of the North San Pablo Bay Restoration and Reuse Project (Project), also referred to as the North Bay Water Recycling Program.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has made available the Final EIS for the Cachuma Lake Resource Management Plan (RMP). The RMP involves alternatives for future use of the project area for recreation and resource protection and management.

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council) was established by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-320) (Act) to receive reports and advise Federal agencies on implementing the Act. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Reclamation announces that the Council will meet as detailed below. The meeting of the Council is open to the public.

The Bureau of Reclamation is reopening the comment period for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division Proposed Project Use Power Rate Adjustment for an additional 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice. The initial Notice proposing this adjustment was published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2010 (75 FR 1408). The public comment period ended on February 10, 2010.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (AMP) was implemented as a result of the Record of Decision on the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement to comply with consultation requirements of the Grand Canyon Protection Act (Pub. L. 102-575) of 1992. The AMP includes a Federal advisory committee (AMWG), a technical work group (TWG), a monitoring and research center, and independent review panels. The AMWG makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The TWG is a subcommittee of the AMWG and provides technical advice and recommendations to the AMWG.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has prepared and made available to the public a SDEIS pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4332.

This notice is published in accordance with section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-463). Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior is renewing the charter for the Yakima River Basin Conservation Advisory Group (CAG). The purpose of the CAG is to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior and the State of Washington on the structure and implementation of the Yakima River Basin Water Conservation Program. In consultation with the State, the Yakama Nation, Yakima River basin irrigators, and other interested and related parties, six members are appointed to serve on the CAG.

The Water Resources Planning Act of 1965 and the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 require an annual determination of a discount rate for Federal water resources planning. The discount rate for Federal water resources planning for fiscal year 2010 is 4.375 percent. Discounting is to be used to convert future monetary values to present values.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) published a notice in the Federal Register on April 8, 2009 (74 FR 16007) announcing the commencement of work under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on the Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities and Fish Reintroduction Project. The Washington State Department of Ecology is a joint lead with Reclamation in the preparation of the Draft EIS, in coordination with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Yakama Nation. The Bonneville Power Administration has assumed the role of a cooperating agency in the preparation of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS will also be used to comply with requirements of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is proposing a rate adjustment (proposed rate) for Project Use Power for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program (P-SMBP), Eastern and Western Divisions. The proposed rate for Project Use Power is to recover all annual operating, maintenance, and replacement expenses. The analysis of the proposed Project Use Power Rate is included in a booklet available upon request. The proposed rate for Project Use Power will become effective February 19, 2010.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (AMP) was implemented as a result of the Record of Decision on the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement to comply with consultation requirements of the Grand Canyon Protection Act (Pub. L. 102-575) of 1992. The AMP includes a Federal advisory committee, the Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG), a Technical Work Group (TWG), a Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, and independent review panels. The AMWG makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The TWG is a subcommittee of the AMWG and provides technical advice and recommendations to the AMWG.