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... ;*-- !. 68500 Federal Register I Vol. 62, No. 250 I Wednesday, December 31. 1997 I Proposed Rules (c) Stored water. The authorized entity of the StOring State will accoullt _for the water diverted and stored offscream under an Interstate Storage Agreement. and prior to any redemption of storage credits will certify to the Secretary that water associated with storage credits has been stored. (d) Redemption of srorage credits. The Secretary must be satisfied that necessary actions have been taken to develop intentionally created unused apportionmellt for redemption of storage credits. Once this determination has been made. the Secretary will make available a quantity of Colorado River water to redeem those credits consistent with the BCPA. Article 1I(B)(6) of the Decree. and all other applicable laws. Intentionally created unused apportionmellt that is developed by the authorized entity of the Storing State will be made available to the authoriZed entity of the Consuming State and will not be made available to other contractors or Federal entitlement holders. (e) Assignment. Interstate Storage Agr.ements may be assigned in whole or in part to authorized elltities upon the agreement of the parties to the Interstate Storage Agreement and upon the approval by the Secretary consistent . with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. 5414.4 Reporting requirements and accounting for storage credits. Each authorized entity will annually report to the Secretary. by January 31, the quantity of water it diverted and stored on behalf of authorized users ill other Lower Division States and the balance of storage credits remaining ill . ~ :~ -- " '- -.. '-~. interstate storage for each entity as of December 31 of the prior calendar year. This water will be accounted for. in the records maintained by the Secretary under Article V of the Decree. as a consumptive use ill the Storing State for the year in which it is stored. The Secretary will mailltain individual balances of storage credits established by the offstream storage of water under Interstate Storage Agreements. The balances wlll be reduced when intentionally created unused apportionment is developed by the authorized entity ill a StOrillg State alld made available for use in a Consumillg State. In the recordS maintained by the Secretary under Article V of the Decree. the taking of unused apportionment for use in a Consuming State by an authorized entity ill redemption of its storage credits will be accounted for as consumptive use by the Consuming State of unused apportionment in the year the water is used. the same as with any other unused apportionment taken by that State. 5414.5 Water qualilY. (a) No guarantee of water quality. The Secretary does not warrant the quality of water released or delivered under interstate agreements. and the United States will not be liable for damages of any kind resulting from water quality problems. The United States wlll not be under any obligation to construct or furnish water treatrllent facilities to maintain or improve water quality standards. (b) Water quality standards. All contractors or Federal entitlement holders. in diverting. using. and returning Colorado River water, must comply with all relevant water pollution laws and regulations of the United States, the Storing State, and the Consuming State. and must obtain all applicable permits or licenses from the appropriate Federal, State. or local authorities regarding water quality and water pollution matters. t414.6 Environmental compliance. (a) Ensuring environmental compliance. The Secretary wlll ensure that environmental compliance is completed. The Secretary wlll be responsible for ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. as amended. and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as ~mended. and will integrate the requirements of other sfatutes. laws. and executive orders as required for Federal actions taken under this part. (b) Responsibility for environmental compliance work. Authorized entities requesting Secretarial approval of an interstate transaction pursuant to this part may prepare the appropriate documentation and compliance documellt for a proposed Federal action such as apptoving a proposed interstate transaction. Such compliance documents must meet the standards set forth in Reclamation's National Environmental Policy Act Handbook before they can be adopted. All costs incurred by the United States in evaluating. processing, andlor approving transactions entered into under this p~rt must be funded by the parties that propose the transaction. [fR Doc. 97-33990 FUed t2-30-97: 8:45 ami BilliNG CODE 431D-94-P