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<br />reached, and will then attempt to tackle more
<br />troublesome issues.
<br />
<br />LITlGATlONIWATER RESOURCES
<br />
<br />NRDC v. BeardlReclamation Reform Act of 1982
<br />
<br />Commissioner Dan Beard has announced that the
<br />Bureau of Reclamation intends to propose new rules
<br />and regulations to implement the Reclamation Reform
<br />Act of 1982 (RRA) and prepare a related
<br />environmental impact statement (EIS). The RRA made
<br />a number of changes to Reclamation law to more
<br />strictly limit the amount of land eligible for low cost
<br />water deliveries from Reclamation projects. Rules and
<br />regulations were published in 1983, and revised in
<br />1987. An environmental assessment concluded the
<br />impacts were primarily economic, and that no
<br />significant impact on the natural environment would
<br />occur. The Natural Resources Defense Council
<br />successfully challenged this finding (NRDC v. Duvall,
<br />No. Civ. S-88-375-LKKK), and a federal district court
<br />directed Reclamation to prepare new interim rules and
<br />an EIS for California's Central Valley Project.
<br />
<br />The parties reached a settlement in September
<br />1993. Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation agreed
<br />to comprehensively reexamine and propose new RRA
<br />regulations on a westwide basis and prepare an EIS.
<br />The EIS will specifically consider: (a) adoption of a
<br />tiered pricing system to encourage conservation; (b)
<br />implementation of water conservation rules
<br />comparable to the mid-Pacific region's "Summary
<br />Criteria For Evaluating Water Conservation Plans;" (c)
<br />necessary data collection to enforce the RRA and
<br />determine the existence of a single farm operation or
<br />land holding; (d) making water saved through RRA
<br />enforcement efforts available for fish and wildlife and
<br />other environmentally-beneficial purposes, which might
<br />include proposing additional authorizing legislation;
<br />and (e) alternatives designed to achieve greater water
<br />conservation and environmental restoration,. and
<br />maximize revenues returned to the United States.
<br />Interior's EIS will also consider both beneficial and
<br />adverse impacts of reduced Irrigation on water quality
<br />problems with agricultural drainage and selenium
<br />contamination, and the fishery and water quality
<br />impacts from reduced diversions that result from
<br />differential pricing, stronger conservation requirements,
<br />and stricter acreage limitation enforcement.
<br />
<br />The new proposed rules and draft EIS are to be
<br />published by December 1, 1994. Final rulemaking and
<br />a final EIS must be completed by August 1, 1995. A .
<br />series of scoping meetings on the RRA has been
<br />scheduled throughout the West: January 11th - Billings
<br />Sheraton, 1-3 pm; Jan. 12th - Fresno, Holiday Inn
<br />Center Plaza, 7-9 pm; Jan. 18th - Salt Lake Hilton, 7-9
<br />p.m.; Jan. 19th - Phoenix, Pointe Hilton South
<br />Mountain, 7-9 p.m.; Jan. 25th - Spokane, Bonneville
<br />Power Administration Office, 1-3 p.m.; Jan. 26th -
<br />Portland, Red Lion-Lloyd Center, 7-9 p. m.; and Jan.
<br />27th - Denver, Lakewood Sheraton Hotel, 1-3 p.m.
<br />Written comments have been encouraged. They will
<br />be accepted at the meetings or may be submitted by
<br />February 14 to Mr. Ronald J. (Rusty) Schuster, ATTN:
<br />D-5604, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007,
<br />Denver, CO 80225-0007; (303) 236-1061, ex!. 237.
<br />
<br />MEETINGS
<br />
<br />A conference entitled Wildlife Water Development:
<br />Integrated Approaches to Wildlife Management and
<br />Conservation will be held April 27-29 at the University
<br />of Wyoming in Laramie. Various meeting sponsors
<br />include the University, the Water for Wildlife
<br />Foundation, BLM, and others. The symposium will
<br />examine the state of the art in water developments for
<br />wildlife. For information contact Susan Powell, P.O. .
<br />Box 3972, Laramie, WY 82071-3972; (800) 484-7801.
<br />
<br />The Twelfth Annual Water Law Conference
<br />sponsored by the American Bar Association's Section
<br />of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law
<br />in cooperation with the Western States Water Council
<br />and the Conference of Western Attorneys General will
<br />be held February 10-11, 1994 in San Diego at the
<br />Sheraton Grand on Harbor island. Call WSWC at
<br />(801) 561-5300 for a symposium brochure.
<br />
<br />PosmON OPENING
<br />
<br />The Oregon Water Resources Department has a
<br />position opening for a Field Services & Enforcement
<br />Administrator to work in Salem and direct the
<br />Department's field program relating to regulation of
<br />water use, collection of water resource data, and
<br />enforcement of water law violations. There is an
<br />excellent salary and benefit package; closing date is
<br />February 4. For information call Barb Mack (503) 378-
<br />8455.
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors of .
<br />member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon,
<br />South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and associate member states Montana and Oklahoma
<br />
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