Proposed Rule Making for Offstream Storage of Colorado River Water and Interstate Redemption of Storage Credits in the Lower Division States

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (as

amended), the Bureau or Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a DPEA

on proposed rule making for offstream storage of Colorado River water

and interstate redemption or use of storage credits in the lower

Division States. The proposed rule is intended to encourage further

cooperation among the Lower Division States in resolving common water

resource problems and demands. The proposed rule would establish a

procedural framework under which authorized entities in the Lower

Division States could store offstream certain Colorado River water,

develop storage credits associated with that water, and use those

credits within the Lower Division.

ADDRESSES: For copies of the DPEA, write to either (1) Mr. James Green,

LC-2506, Environmental Compliance and Realty Group, Resource Management

Office (Mead Bldg), Lower Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of

Reclamation, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006-1470; or (2) Bureau

of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Liaison, 1849 C St. NW,

Washington, DC 20240, telephone (202) 208-6269.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. James Green at (702) 293-8519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DPEA describes the present status of

river operations in the Lower Colorado River Basin and analyzes

potential impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed

rule. A programmatic approach has been adopted because many of the

details of specific interstate agreements under the proposed rule

cannot be ascertained at this time. Such agreements would be subject to

approval by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary). Appropriate

environmental compliance documentation will be prepared on a case-by-

case basis prior to the Secretary's approval of an interstate

agreement. The public comment period for the proposed rule and the DPEA

will run concurrently. Comments will be accepted through March 2, 1998.

If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of

several methods. You may mail or hand-deliver comments to Mr. James

Green at the address noted in ADDRESSES above. You may also comment via

the Internet at [email protected]. If you comment via the Internet

at this address please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also

include ``attn: AC1006-AA40'' and your name and return address in your

Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system

that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly at

(702) 293-8411. Upon request, Reclamation will hold informational

meetings on the DPEA in January or February 1998. Reclamation will

accept requests for informational meetings until 4:00 p.m. Pacific time

on January 30, 1998. If Reclamation receives a request to hold an

informational meeting(s), Reclamation will notify interested parties of

the time and location of the meeting(s).

The DPEA has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as amended, and (2) regulations

of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural

provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508).

Dated: December 22, 1997.

R. Steven Richardson,

Director, Policy and External Affairs.

[FR Doc. 97-33989 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-M