Reclamation Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mid-Pacific Regional Office of the Bureau of Reclamation is proposing guidelines to provide Mid-Pacific Region field, area, and Regional Office employees with the information necessary to consistently and accurately account for water transfers between all contractors who receive CVP water under water service, repayment, settlement, or exchange contracts. Comments on the guidelines are being requested.

The Bureau of Reclamation is announcing an extension of the public comment period for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project SDEIS. The previously announced comment period for the SDEIS was published in the Federal Register on February 9, 2007 (72 FR, 6285- 6286) informing the public that the comment period would end on March 26, 2007. We are now notifying the public that Reclamation and the State of North Dakota are extending the comment period for an additional 30 days. Accordingly, the public comment period is extended to April 25, 2007.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended) and the general authority to conduct water resources planning under the Reclamation Act of 1902 and all acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PR/DEIS). This document was undertaken to provide a discussion for the (1) various ways to provide a municipal and industrial (M&I) water supply to the Navajo Nation; City of Gallup, New Mexico; and Jicarilla Apache Nation; (2) identification of a preferred alternative; and (3) associated environmental impacts and costs of such an endeavor, should it be undertaken. The PR/DEIS presents alternatives for providing an anticipated year 2040 M&I water supply for the project area. Alternatives considered include diverting and distributing water from the San Juan River using various configurations, water conservation using existing groundwater supplies, and no action.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the lead Federal agency; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), a cooperating Federal agency; the Reclamation Board, the lead State agency; and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), the local sponsor, have prepared a Final EIS/EIR for the Folsom DS/FDR Action. The Folsom DS/ FDR proposed action includes features that address Reclamation's DS objectives and the Corps' FDR objectives jointly as well as features or increments that exclusively address DS, security, or FDR objectives and would be constructed by the respective agencies. The Final EIS/EIR contains responses to comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR. The Corps intends to adopt the Final EIS/EIR to satisfy the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act for the Joint Federal Project (JFP) component and other FDR features as appropriate. The Corps has prepared a Post Authorization Change (PAC) Report which documents recommended changes to the authorized Folsom Modifications and Folsom Dam Raise projects. A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 (71 FR 68837). The public review period on the Draft EIS/EIR ended on January 22, 2006. The public review period was extended via a press release to January 26, 2007.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Recreation Survey, New Melones Lake Project, Sonora, CA. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and hour burden.

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): Certification Summary Form, Reporting Summary Form for Acreage Limitation, 43 CFR part 426 and 43 CFR part 428, OMB Control Number: 1006-0006. This information collection is required under the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), Acreage Limitation Rules and Regulations, 43 CFR part 426, and Information Requirements for Certain Farm Operations In Excess of 960 Acres and the Eligibility of Certain Formerly Excess Land, 43 CFR part 428. We request your comments on the revised RRA forms and specific aspects of the information collection.

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): Forms to Determine Compliance by Certain Landholders, 43 CFR part 426, OMB Control Number: 1006-0023. As a result of the regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with Federal reclamation law and assessment of the appropriate water rate [43 CFR 426.6(b)(2) and 43 CFR 426.9(b)], a new ``Religious or Charitable Organization Identification Sheet'' (Form 7-2578) has been developed for approval as part of this information collection. We request your comments on the proposed Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA) forms and specific aspects of the information collection.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality's Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, the Department of the Interior (Department), acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (Draft EIS) on the proposed adoption of specific Colorado River Lower Basin shortage guidelines and coordinated reservoir management strategies to address operations 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 operations 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 (NPS), the Western Area Power Administration (Western), and the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

The ``Criteria for Developing Refuge Water Management Plans'' (Refuge Criteria), as applied in the following areas, are now available for public comment. Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. The Refuge Criteria provides a common methodology, or standard, for efficient use of water by Federal Wildlife Refuges, State Wildlife Management Areas and Resource Conservation Districts that receive water under provisions of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). They document the process and format by which Refuge Water Management Plans (Plans) should be prepared and submitted to Reclamation as part of the Refuge/District Water Supply Contracts and Memorandum of Agreements. The Refuge Criteria refers to Refuges, Wildlife Areas and Resource Conservation Districts as Refuges. Those Refuges that entered into water supply contracts with Reclamation, as a result of the CVPIA and subsequent Department of the Interior administrative review processes, are required to prepare Plans using the Refuge Criteria.

The Bureau of Reclamation published a notice in the Federal Register on December 30, 2005 (70 FR, 77425) informing the public of the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project. We are now notifying the public that Reclamation and the State of North Dakota have prepared a Supplemental DEIS in response to public comment and new information. It is now available for review and comment. The Supplemental DEIS provides new information and additional analyses related to water supply needs, water quality, Missouri River flow depletions, aquatic resources, social-economics, and the risk of transfer of potentially invasive species from the Missouri River into the Red River and Hudson Bay basins from potential treatment or conveyance failures. Alternatives considered in the 2005 DEIS have been revised, two have been eliminated from consideration, and a federally-preferred alternative has been identified in the Supplemental DEIS.

The Bureau of Reclamation is holding a meeting to inform the public about the Managing for Excellence project. This meeting is the first of three meetings that will be held in 2007 to inform the public about the action items, progress, and results of the Managing for Excellence project and to seek broad public input and feedback. Subsequent meetings in 2007 are planned.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to evaluate the potential effects of the proposed Wellton-Mohawk Title Transfer. The title transfer would transfer ownership and divest Reclamation of the responsibility for the operation, maintenance, management, regulation of, and liability for the identified project facilities and appurtenant lands to the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District (District). This title transfer would consolidate management responsibility with the District, thereby allowing them to have greater authority in the management of growth and land-based issues in the Wellton-Mohawk Valley, protect against encroachment on agriculture, and consolidate ownership of lands, facilities, and the Gila River Flood Channel.

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 2007 is 4.875 percent. Discounting is to be used to convert future monetary values to present values.

In a Federal Register notice published on November 6, 2006 (71 FR 64982-64983), and pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and 40 CFR 1508.22, the Department of the Interior (Department), acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), provided notice that the Department intends to prepare an EIS and conduct public scoping meetings for the adoption of a Long-Term Experimental Plan for the operation of Glen Canyon Dam and other associated management activities. This Federal Register notice, prepared pursuant to 40 CFR 1508.22, provides information on additional public scoping meetings, the purpose and need for the proposed action, and additional background on the Long-Term Experimental Plan. The purpose of the Long-Term Experimental Plan is to increase understanding of the ecosystem downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and to improve and protect important downstream resources. The NEPA process would evaluate the implications and impacts of each of the alternatives on all of the purposes and benefits of Glen Canyon Dam as well as on downstream resources. The proposed plan would implement a structured, long-term program of experimentation (including dam operations, modifications to Glen Canyon Dam intake structures, and other non-flow management actions, such as removal of non-native fish species) and monitoring in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam. The proposed Long-Term Experimental Plan is intended to ensure a continued, structured application of adaptive management in such a manner as to protect, mitigate adverse impacts to, and improve the values for which Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area were established, including, but not limited to natural and cultural resources and visitor use, consistent with applicable Federal law. The Long-Term Experimental Plan will build on a decade of scientific experimentation and monitoring that has taken place as part of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, and will build on the knowledge gained by experiments, operations, and management actions taken under the program. Accordingly, Reclamation intends to tier from earlier NEPA compliance documents prepared as part of the Department's Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program efforts, see 40 CFR 1500.4(i), 1502.20, and 1508.20(b), such as the 2002 Environmental Assessment prepared on adaptive management experimental actions at Glen Canyon Dam (Proposed Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam and Removal of Non-Native Fish). Dates and Addresses: Two additional public scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments on the scope of the Long-Term Experimental Plan and the issues and alternatives that should be analyzed. The meetings will serve to expand upon the input received from the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program meetings and the recommendations of the Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG), a federal advisory committee. Oral and written comments will be accepted at the meetings to be held at the following locations: Thursday, January 4, 20076 p.m. to 8 p.m., Embassy Suites Phoenix Airport at 44th Street, 1515 North 44th Street, Cholla Room, Phoenix, Arizona. Friday, January 5, 20076 p.m. to 8 p.m., Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 South West Temple, Salon 1, Salt Lake City, Utah. Written comments on the proposed development of the Long-Term Experimental Plan may be sent by close of business on Wednesday, February 28, 2007, to: Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Attention: UC-402, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84318-1147, faxogram at (801) 524-3858, or e-mail at GCDExpPlan@uc.usbr.gov.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the California Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet on December 14, 2006. 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 end of Stage 1 decisions and planning for Stage 2 actions for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program (Program); and recommendations on Year 6 Program Performance and Accomplishments, Year 7 Priorities and Program Plans, and Program Performance and Balance. The meeting will also include reports form the Lead Scientist and the Independent Science Board, along with updates on the Delta Vision, Delta Risk Management Strategy, Pelagic Organisms Decline Action Plan, and Program Performance and Tracking.

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 2, 2006. 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 following Water Management Plans are available for review: Patterson Irrigation District. Porterville Irrigation District. Pixley Irrigation District. Lower Tule River Irrigation 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 (Reclamation) developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria).

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) have prepared a Final EIR/EIS for the proposed Contra Costa Water District Alternative Intake Project. The Draft EIR/ EIS evaluated the potential environmental effects of five alternatives: the No-Action Alternative and four action alternatives. The Final EIR/ EIS contains responses to comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS. A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR/EIS was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 (71 FR 27275). The public review period on the Draft EIR/EIS ended on Monday, June 26, 2006.

The following Water Management Plans are available for review: Santa Clara Valley Water District City of Fairfield Solano County Water Agency City of Roseville Suisun-Solano Irrigation 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 has developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria).

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby given that the Yakima River Basin Conservation Advisory Group, Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, Yakima, Washington, established by the Secretary of the Interior, will hold a public meeting. The purpose of the Conservation Advisory Group is to provide technical advice and counsel to the Secretary of the Interior and Washington State on the Structure, implementation, and oversight of the Yakima River Basin Water Conservation Program.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended) and Section 21061 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and El Dorado County Water Agency (EDCWA) intend to prepare a joint EIS/EIR for a Municipal and Industrial (M&I) water service contract from the Central Valley Project (CVP), California. The proposed project consists of a long term water supply contract under which Reclamation would provide up to 15,000 acre-feet per annum (AFA) to the EDCWA for diversion from Folsom Reservoir or for exchange upstream on the American River. The EDCWA proposes to sub-contract this water equally between El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) and Georgetown Divide Public Utility District (GDPUD). EID proposes to take its supply from Folsom Reservoir. GDPUD proposes to take its supply upstream by way of a water exchange with Placer County Water Agency (PCWA). The GDPUD diversion facility is at the American River Pump Station which is currently under construction.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the California Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet on September 13, 2006. The agenda for the Committee meeting will include discussions with State and Federal agency representatives on the end of Stage 1 decisions and the planning for State 2 of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, Program Plans, and the restructuring of the Committee subcommittees. The meeting will also include updates on science, Delta Vision, Delta Risk Management Strategy, and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan.

The 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 AMWG will conduct the following conference call: Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2006. The call will begin at 2 p.m. (EDT), 12 p.m. (MDT) and 11 a.m. (PDT, and Arizona) and conclude two (2) hours later in the respective time zones. The telephone numbers are: 801-524-3860 for Federal participants and 1-888-264-8816 for non- Federal participants and members of the public. Agenda: The purpose of the meeting will be to review and discuss the TWG recommended Fiscal Year 2007, hydrograph, budget, and workplan, to facilitate making a recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior. Time will be allowed for any individual or organization wishing to make formal oral comments on the call. To allow full consideration of information by the AMWG members, written notice must be provided to Dennis Kubly, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84138; telephone (801) 524-3715; faxogram (801) 524-3858; e-mail at dkubly@uc.usbr.gov at least five (5) days prior to the call. Any written comments received will be provided to the AMWG members.

To comply with the requirements of Public Law 106-377, the Mid-Pacific Region of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will be billing Central Valley Project (CVP) water contractors for their share of the Trinity Public Utilities District (TPUD) assessment. This will be an interim process until supplementary rate setting policies are established that ensure full recovery of the assessment without further appropriation as required in the law. Billings will be prepared with payment due within 30 days and the billing period will cover the TPUD assessment for Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007.