[Federal Register: November 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 216)]
[Notices]               
[Page 61122]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09no99-90]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

 
Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating 
Water Management Plans

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project 
Improvement Act (CVPIA) of 1992 and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, 
the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) developed and published the 
Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation Plans, dated April 30, 1993. 
In September 1996, Reclamation revised the document and renamed it the 
Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria). The Criteria 
is being revised again for 1999.
    The draft 1999 Criteria was revised based on information provided 
during public scoping and public review sessions held throughout 
Reclamation's Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation will use the 
Criteria to evaluate the adequacy of all water management plans 
developed by Central Valley Project contractors. The Criteria was 
developed for the purpose of promoting the most efficient water use 
reasonably achievable. Reclamation has made a commitment to publish a 
notice of its draft 1999 Criteria in the Federal Register and to allow 
the public 30 days to comment.

DATES: All public comments must be received by December 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, Bureau of 
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To be placed on a mailing list for any 
subsequent information, please contact Lucille Billingsley at the 
address above, or by telephone at (916) 978-5215 (TDD 978-5608).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provision of Section 3405 (e) of the 
CVPIA (Title 34 Public Law 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior] 
shall establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project 
water conservation best management practices that shall * * * develop 
criteria for evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans 
developed by project contractors, including those plans required by 
section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.'' Also, according to 
Section 3405(e)(1), these criteria will be developed ``* * * with the 
purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency 
reasonably achievable by project contractors using best available cost-
effective technology and best management practices.''
    The draft 1999 Criteria states that all parties (contractors) that 
contract with Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial 
contracts over 2,000 acre-feet and agricultural contracts over 2,000 
irrigable acres) will prepare water management plans that will be 
evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information 
detailed in the sections listed below to develop, implement, monitor, 
and revise their water management plans. The sections are:
    1. Describe the district.
    2. Inventory water resources.
    3. Best Management Practices (BMP's) for Agricultural Contractors.
    4. BMP's for Urban Contractors.
    5. Plan implementation.
    6. Exemption process
    7. Regional Criteria.
    8. Five year revisions.
    Public comment on Reclamation's draft 1999 Criteria are invited at 
this time. A copy of the 1999 Criteria will be available for review at 
Reclamation's MP Regional Office located in Sacramento, California. If 
you wish to review a copy of the draft 1999 Criteria, please contact 
Ms. Billingsley.

    Dated: October 4, 1999.
Robert F. Stackhouse,
Regional Resources Manager, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 99-29258 Filed 11-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M