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<br />000660 <br /> <br />u.s. BUREAU' OF RECLAMATION <br /> <br />Invitation to Provide CellUDeIIU <br />OD the StafI'Draft ola Paper ElltitIed <br />"Objectives, PriDdples, ud'PoIida Govenaiag tile <br />Voluntary T.....fer Or Water at Bareall .IReelam.tio. PrOjeeCs" <br /> <br />March 13, 2000 <br /> <br />The Department of the Interior (DOl) established broad principles governing "voluntary water <br />transactions" in 1988 (the "1988 Principles." copy enclosed as A~~ C). 'Jbe'l9.88 <br />PrinclpJesapply to ~DS thai involVe or affect 1icilities owned or operated by DOl, DOt just <br />to voluntary transfers of project WIder deVeloped.and B\lPPJied'by ~. J'Pr.1~OD })IOjects... <br /> <br />. . <br /> <br />In the in~g y~ the Bureau ofRecbnnatJon (RecllimBtioo) haS fticeiveChll8ll)' proposals' . <br />. from its contractors to seD 01' lease federaUy supplied: project.Water.to DeW Usem aodIcw to CODVat <br />project water for existing inigation uses to new Uses botJi'on. a "temporary, and piermaDent basis.. <br />..In-wition, .RecIamatiQl.l itselfhas also entered.iiito ammgeineots. ~ lease back or purchase bact <br />~ject water supplies or capacit)', or to lease or pu:rdiBse..nOil-jJroJect water supplies for various <br />purposes as authorized by Congress. Future years are. expected k)"tmns.8dcHtioulprOpoaals. <br /> <br />Based. ~n the c~ience gai""-din the past 10-12yean, RecIRmRtion believes tbatii would be <br />usefid to set forth principles and policies whi<:b.suppteDaent.8nd expimd'upoo tIie.deptu~'8 <br />1988 Principles and which are tailored to the specific cln:uinStances assoclate4 with.tnmsfers of <br />project water at Redmruation Projects. Totbat eDd,"team ofRecJanumon~ has <br />developed the enclosed statfdraft paper (dated 3/13/00) entitled ceobjeCtives, Principles, BDd <br />Policies Governing Voluntary Transfers of Project W~ at Bureau ofR~ImndOD ProjeCts.." <br /> <br />As with the .1988 Principles, this staff draft paper reiterates support fQr'the use of voluntary <br />transfenrofproject water. Such1nmsfers can potential1y: (J) asSist ~ tn"beJ, and local <br />authorities (including Reclamation's contracting distriCts) to ~.local orregiOJial waa needs by <br />improving Qr f8ciJitating the management of existing project water supplies; (h") assist in achievins <br />more efficient use of the West's SCarce water supplies to meet changiDg water demAndS; and ('Iii) <br />sene to improve the economies oflocaJ communities and Native American reservatioos.. <br /> <br />The draft principles and policies are intended to be flexible. However, they also recognize that <br />the ReclAmation needs to satisfy legal, contractual, and :reguJatory CODCeiDS in its evaluation of <br />any particular proposal to transfer project water to new users or uses. These draft principles and <br />policies seek to identify the nature of these concems. <br /> <br />Finally, as with the 1988 PrinCiples, the draft principles and policies provide that proposed <br />transfers of project water should be between willing parties. Presentation of a proposal by one <br />party, seeking federal. support or action against other patties, will not be considered in the absence . <br />of substantial support for the proposal among. affected non-feder3i parties. <br />