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

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 1999. 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: 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. Completed contract actions: 17. Juniper Flat District Improvement Company, Wapinitia Project, Oregon: Repayment contract for reimbursable cost of dam safety repairs to Wasco Dam. This contract was executed in August 1999. Mid-Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-978-5250. New contract actions: 41. Resource Renewal Institute, CVP, California: Proposed water purchase agreement with Resource Renewal Institute for the permanent purchase of water rights on Butte Creek for instream flow purposes. 42. Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, CVP, California: Execution of a long-term Operations Agreement for flood control operations of Folsom Dam and Reservoir to allow for recovery of costs associated with operating a variable flood control pool of 400,000 to 670,000 acre-feet of water during the flood control season. This agreement is to conform to Federal law. Modified contract actions: 2. Contractors from the American River Division, Buchanan Unit, Cross Valley Canal, Delta Division, Friant Division, Hidden Unit, Sacramento River Division, San Felipe Division, Shasta Division, Trinity River Division, and West San Joaquin Division, CVP, California: Early renewal of existing long-term and interim renewal water service contracts with contractors having contracts which expire between 2000 and 2001; water quantities for these contracts total in excess of 5.6M acre-feet. These contract actions will be accomplished through long- term renewal contracts pursuant to Pub. L. 102-575. Prior to completion of negotiation of long-term renewal contracts, existing interim renewal water service contracts may be renewed through successive interim renewal of contracts. 14. Mercy Springs WD, CVP, California: Partial assignment of about 7,000 acre-feet of Mercy Springs WD's water service contract to Westlands WD for agricultural use. 29. Widren WD, CVP, California: Assignment of 2,940 acre-feet of The District'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 water. 33. Sierra Pacific Power Company, Town of Fernley, State of California, City of Reno, City of Sparks, Washoe County, State of Nevada, Truckee-Carson ID, and any other local interest or Native- American Tribal interest, who may have negotiated rights under Pub. L. 101-618; Nevada and California: Contract for the storage of non-Federal water in Truckee River reservoirs as authorized by Pub. L. 101-618 and the Preliminary Settlement Agreement. The contracts shall be consistent with the Truckee River Water Quality Settlement Agreement and the terms and conditions of the proposed Truckee River Operating Agreement. Discontinued contract actions: 22. Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County; Washoe and Truckee Storage Projects; Nevada and California: Contract for the storage of non- Federal water in Truckee River reservoirs as authorized by Pub. L. 101- 618 and consistent with the terms and conditions of the Truckee River Water Quality Settlement Agreement. 23. Sierra Pacific Power Company and Washoe County Water Conservation District; Washoe and Truckee Storage Projects; Nevada and California: Contract for the storage of non-Federal water in Truckee River reservoirs as authorized by Pub. L. 101-618 and consistent with the terms and conditions of the proposed Truckee River Operating Agreement. Completed contract action: 4. Sacramento River settlement contractors, CVP, California: Administrative policy for voluntary contract assignments which provides for repayment of O&M deficit(s), and payment by assignee of the CVP cost-of-service rate as determined in accordance with the current CVP ratesetting policy. Administrative policy letter dated October 15, 1998, and in process of mailing fact sheet/policy to interested parties.

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: 64. Litchfield Park Service Company, CAP, Arizona: Assignment of 1,200 acre-feet of CAP M&I water to the City of Scottsdale. 65. Brooke Water, L.L.C., CAP, Arizona: Assignment of 3,932 acre- feet of CAP M&I water to Circle City Water Company. 66. California WDs, BCP, California: Incorporate into the water delivery contracts with several water districts (Coachella Valley WD, Imperial ID, Palo Verde ID, and The Metropolitan WD of Southern California), through new contracts, contract amendments, contract approvals, or other appropriate means, the agreement to be reached among those water districts to (i) quantity the Colorado River water entitlements for Coachella Valley WD and Imperial ID and (ii) provide a basis for water transfers among California water districts. 67. Coachella Valley WD, BCP, California: Amend contract designated symbol 14-20-650, contract No. 631, which authorizes the United States to construct irrigation and drainage works for certain Indian lands within the District, to provide for construction of necessary facilities to allow water deliveries for irrigation of up to 322 acres of lands on the Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation located within the District's improvement district No. 1. Modified contract action: 55. E&R Water Company, CAP, Arizona: Assignment of rights, title, and interest in CAP water delivery subcontract for 161 acre-feet of M&I water to Pine Water Company. Completed contract action: 25. United States Navy, BCP, Niland, California: Contract for 23 acre-feet of surplus Colorado River water for domestic use delivered through the Coachella Canal. Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524- 3691.

New contract actions: (h) R&D Investment, LTD., 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 decrees for up to seven domestic wells to serve R&D Investment with domestic, single-family, residential use; lawn and garden irrigation; and fire protection. 20. Mancos Water Conservancy District, Mancos Project, Colorado: Amendment to repayment contract with the District to increase the farm unit size (for acreage limitation purposes) from

160 to 750 acres, pursuant to the Water Conservation and Utilization Act of 1939. Modified contract action: 16. Dolores Water Conservancy District, Dolores Project, Colorado: Carriage contract with the District to carry up to 6,000 acre-feet of non-project water in project facilities under the authority of the Warren Act of 1911. Completed contract action: (g) Whetstone Vista L.L.C., Aspinall Unit, CRSP, Colorado: Contract for 1 acre-foot to support augmentation plans, Water Division Court No. 4, State of Colorado (Case No. 96CW298), to provide for single-family residential use, irrigation, and livestock 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: 43. Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Colorado-Big Thompson Project, Colorado: Acting by and through the Pleasant Valley Pipeline Project Water Activity Enterprise, beginning discussions and draft BON for a long-term contract for conveyance of nonproject water through Colorado-Big Thompson Project facilities. 44. Tom Green County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, San Angelo Project, Texas: The District is requesting a deferment of its 2000 construction payment. In the process of developing a BON. Modified contract actions: 15. Fort Shaw ID, Sun River Project, Montana: Contract for SOD costs for repairs to Willow Creek Dam. 20. Fort Clark ID, P-SMBP, North Dakota: Negotiation of water service contract to continue delivery of project water to the District. 37. Greenfields ID, Sun River Project, Montana: Contract for additional SOD costs for repairs to Willow Creek Dam. Completed contract actions: 35. Green Mountain Reservoir, Colorado-Big Thompson Project, Colorado: In compliance with the October 1996 Stipulation and Agreement, Orchard Mesa Check Case No. 91CW247, Colorado Water Division No. 5, Reclamation is currently negotiating a long-term Operating Agreement among Colorado Public Service Company of Colorado, Orchard Mesa ID, and Grand Valley Water Users Association, for delivery of surplus Green Mountain Reservoir water to the Federal Grand Valley Power Plant. 37. Greenfields ID, Sun River Project, Montana: Contract for additional SOD costs for repairs to Willow Creek Dam. Contract has been executed.

Dated: October 14, 1999. A. Jack Garner, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Policy. [FR Doc. 99-27471 Filed 10-20-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-94-P