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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />3421 <br /> <br />NOTE TO REPORTERS/EDlTORS <br /> <br />A series of Questions and Answers are provided below, The full text of the Regional Director's <br />letter (0 the Imperial Irrigation District, this press release (with the Question and Answers) , and <br />a copy of the "Determination and Recommendations" document that contains a full description <br />of the technical work performed for this determination, are all available on the Lower Colorado <br />Regional website at: www.usbr.l!ov/lc/rel!ionliid4l7.htm. In addition, all documents submitted <br />to Reclamation during this review are also available at this website, <br /> <br />QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: <br /> <br />JULY 2, 2003 REGIONAL DIRECTOR'S 43 C.F,R. PART 417 DETERMINATION <br /> <br />What are the "417" regulations? <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation has published regulations at 43 C.F,R. Part 417 (the <br />Part 417 regulations) which provide for the review and approval of annual water <br />orders from states and water districts holding contracts with the Secretary of the <br />Interior for delivery of Colorado River water from federal facilities within the lower <br />Basin of the Colorado River. These regulations only address the Boulder Canyon <br />Project and were originally adopted in 1964, These regulations provide for annual <br />determinations and recommendations by the Regional Director of water orders <br />suhmitted by con tractors, to the end that deliveries of Colorado River water to each <br />contractor will not exceed those amounts reasonably required for beneficial use <br />under each contract or other authorization for use of Colorado River water based <br />on certain technical factlrs listed in the regulations, <br /> <br />Where do the 417 regulations apply? <br /> <br />. The Part 417 regulations only apply to entities that receive water from the Boulder <br />Canyon Project, the official name for Hoover Dam, which stores water for use <br />within the lower Basin of the Colorado River (California, Arizona and Nevada). <br /> <br />Do the 417 regulations apply outside of the Lower Basin of the Colorado River or in other <br />states? <br /> <br />. No. The legal framework applicable to the management of the Lower Basin of the <br />Colorado River is uniqu e within the United States. <br /> <br />Why is the Bureau of Reclamation making a determination at this time? <br /> <br />. Reclamation was directed by a federal court to undertake a new determination of UD's <br />water use for 2003 under tbe Part 417 regulations, In a lawsuit filed in January of this <br />year, the Imperial Irrigation District challenged Interior's approval of a water order <br />for 2003 in an amount less than the Imperial Irrigation District had requested. <br /> <br />. Following a hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction in March, U.S. <br />District Judge Thomas J. Whelan issued an injunction restraining Interior from <br /> <br />2 <br />