WSP11852 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 0003H Response: Nothing in this regulation modifies the ground water protections found in the CAP contracts or limits the Department's ability to protect trust resources. Also, as noted in ~ 414.3(c), the potential effects of the proposed measures on the environment, the economy, and trust resources are among the factors the Secretary will consider when reviewing a Storage and Interstate Release Agreement. Subsidies Comment: Several respondents stated that the Department should not allow extra non- reimbursable expenses to occur in storing water or delivering it to a new location. There were also suggestions that, with respect to Arizona, revenue from the Interstate Storage Agreement (now termed a "Storage and Interstate Release Agreement") should be collected to help repay CAWCD's debt to the United States for the CAP. Response: The Department agrees that a proposed Storage and Interstate Release Agreement cannot obligate the United States to incur extra non-reimbursable expenses to store water or deliver it to new locations. The Secretary will review the provisions of every proposed Storage and Interstate Release Agreement for its financial impacts on the United States and will not execute any agreements that may have adverse financial impacts on the United States. In addition, the United States is currently seeking to resolve the recovery of CAW CD's debt to the United States. Power Issues Comment: Several respondents stated that Reclamation should analyze the impacts of the rule on power customers in the State of Arizona. When water passes through the Hoover and Davis generators on the way to storage in Arizona, there will be additional power production but CA WCD will incur increased pumping costs to move the water to storage. When stored water is withdrawn by a Nevada entity in the future, less water will pass through the Hoover and Davis generators, resulting in less power production at those dams. When Arizona ground water pumpers who take CAP water through in-lieu storage are required to go back to ground water pumping, they may require more power during years when stored water is withdrawn from the bank: and generation is reduced at Hoover and Davis Dams. The rule should provide for compensation of power customers to protect them from subsidizing water banking. Response: Under this final rule, the offstream storage of Colorado River water and the Secretary's release ofICUA may influence the timing of power generation at the Hoover, Parker, and Davis powerplants. Reclamation conducted an analysis to evaluate the potential impact& of this final rule on Hoover and Parker-Davis power customers. The analysis reflects that under this final rule the quantity of energy foregone in anyone year between 1998 and 2017 will result in a loss ofless than 0.5 percent. Between 1998 and 2017, the quantity of Colorado River water released from mainstream reservoirs will be equivalent to the quantity that otherwise would have been released without the implementation of this final rule. 9