Draft Interim Guidelines for the Implementation of the Interim Renewal Contract Provisions Central Valley Project Improvement Act, California

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Draft Interim Guidelines for the Implementation of the Interim

Renewal Contract Provisions Central Valley Project Improvement Act,

California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of workshops.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of

Reclamation (Reclamation), has developed draft interim guidelines for

implementation of the interim renewal contracts pursuant to the

provisions of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). To

facilitate an understanding of the draft interim guidelines on interim

renewal contracts, there will be a series of five workshop sessions at

which the guidelines will be explained in detail. There will be an

opportunity to ask questions. The sessions are open to the general

public and are to promote an exchange of ideas and to answer questions

prior to the finalization of the interim guidelines.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: The proposed draft interim guidelines for the

interim renewal contracts dated March 10, 1994, may be obtained without

charge by writing to the Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, (MP-

440), 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento CA 95825. Reclamation is encouraging

written comments. Please provide all written comments to the above

address.

All written comments must be received by April 22, 1994.

All workshops will be conducted as follows:

Monday, March 28, 1994, 7-9 p.m., Convention Center, Sand

Room, 303 E. Acequia, Visalia, California

Tuesday, March 29, 1994, 7-9 p.m., Tracy Inn Restaurant,

30 W. Eleventh Street, Tracy, California

Wednesday, March 30, 1994, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Franco's

Restaurant, 610 Tehama Street, Willows, California

Thursday, March 31, 1994, 7-9 p.m., Parc Oakland,

California Room, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, California

Friday, April 1, 1994, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Sacramento

Hilton, Ballroom, 2200 Harvard Street, Sacramento, California

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions by telephone should be

directed to Betty Riley at (916) 978-5036 (TDD) (916) 978-4417.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3404(c) of the CVPIA provides that

no long-term repayment or water service contract will be renewed until

appropriate environmental review, including the programmatic

environmental impact statement (PEIS) on the Central Valley Project

(CVP) required under Section 3409 has been completed. The Section

further provides that the United States and the CVP Contractors may

enter into interim renewal contracts during the period between

expiration of their long-term contracts and completion of appropriate

environmental documentation including the PEIS required under CVPIA.

The objective of the interim renewal contracts is to provide existing

CVP Contractors water deliveries during the period from expiration of

the original contract until the environmental documentation is complete

in accordance with Section 3404(c) of Public Law 102-575. The interim

renewal contracts are also intended to provide a means of carrying out

the goals and requirements of the CVPIA and other provisions of Federal

and state law.

To implement these provisions, Reclamation intends to execute an

initial interim renewal contract with each contractor for a term of up

to 3 years. Subsequent interim renewal contracts may be provided

subject to the requirements of these guidelines and applicable law for

terms of up to 2 years.

The CVP was originally authorized as an Army Corps of Engineers

project by the Rivers and Harbors Act of August 30, 1935 (49 Stat.

1028, 1038). Congressional reauthorization of the project under

Reclamation law was provided in Section 2 of the Rivers and Harbors Act

of August 26, 1937 (50 Stat. 844), as amended by the CVPIA and by the

Rivers and Harbors Act of October 17, 1940 (54 Stat. 1198). Congress

further reauthorized the project by the Act of October 14, 1949 (663

Stat. 852) and the Act of September 26, 1950 (64 Stat. 1036).

Additional units were authorized by the Congress as integral parts of

the project by the Acts of August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 719); June 3, 1960

(74 Stat. 156); October 23, 1962 (76 Stat. 1191 and 1192); September 2,

1965 (79 Stat. 615); August 19, 1967 (81 Stat. 167); August 27, 1967

(81 Stat. 173); October 23, 1970 (84 Stat. 1097); and September 28,

1976 (90 Stat. 1328).

The authority for the interim renewal contracts includes the Acts

of August 4, 1939, July 2, 1956, June 21, 1963, and October 30, 1992.

Draft interim guidelines for interim renewal contracts were

previously made available for review and comment to interested parties

on February 12, 1993 and July 17, 1993. Reclamation met with interested

parties to discuss their comments on the previous draft interim

guidelines. All written comments and comments from the workshop will be

considered prior to finalizing the draft interim guidelines. The final

interim guidelines will establish Reclamation's position on issues

included in the negotiations of all interim renewal contracts.

Significant issues addressed in the draft interim guidelines

include the following: The process used to determine water quantities;

water transfers; water shortages, water quality, water measurement,

payments and surcharges, and water conservation.

Dated: March 11, 1994.

James O. Malila,

Acting Deputy Commissioner.

[FR Doc. 94-6199 Filed 3-15-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-P