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..... 00. CJ1" · CD USDA'S CRSC PROGRAM ACTIVITIES The Congress appropriated $3,804,000 in Fiscal Year 1987, along with a continuing appropria- tion of $2,196,000 from ACP (Agricultural Conservation Program) funds, to initiate the USDA's voluntary CRSC (Colorado River Salinity Control) onfarm program authorized by Section 202(c) of Public Law 93-320, as amended (43 USC 1592(c)). USDA published Interim Rules and Regulations in the Federal Register on May 5, 1987, setting forth the terms and conditions for implementing the amended Public Law 93-320. The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service published its operating pro- cedures for administering the program on May 13, followed by publication on May 26, 1987, of the Soli Conservation Service's operating procedures for the program, CRSC applications for $4 mil- lion in assistance on which plan- ning is underway have been received from 56 producers in the Uinta Basin and for $1,500,000 in assistance from 47 producers in the Grand Valley Unit through September 30, 1987. Implementa- tion of the USDA voluntary pro- gram is underway with the signing of 12 contracts totaling $566,000 in the Uinta Basin Unit and 3 con- tracts for about $172,000 in the Grand Valley Unit, obligating a total of $738,000 in Federal funds, As a result of cost-share expen- ditures paid under the new CRSC program in Fiscal Year 1987, a Basin Fund repayment debt has been incurred. Expenditures of $82,113 in the Uinta Basin and $26,894 in the Grand Valley, totaling $109,007, result in a $27,797 repayment obligation for the Lower Basin Development Fund and $4,905 for the Upper Basin Fund, Uinta Basin CRSC Signing Ceremony Seventy individuals representing Federal, State, and local agencies; private landowners and irrigation company representatives attended a special first contracts signing ceremony at Roosevelt, Utah, on July 2, 1987, which obligated $434,918 of Colorado River Salinity Control (CRSC) federal cost-share assistance funds, Nine contracts were signed by local offi- cials which provide onfarm irriga- tion system improvements to 1,528 acres of farmland. When salinity reduction practices (SRP's) are installed and irrigation water management is applied, these sys- tems will provide an estimated 1,484 tons annual salt load reduc- tion to the Colorado River system. Participants in the ceremony in- cluded Wilson Scaling, Chief, Soli Conservation Service; Vern Neppl, Associate Administrator, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service; Tom Holback, National Program Leader, Cooperative Extension Service; Howard A. Nielson, U, S, Congressman, Utah; Jack Barnett, Executive Director. Colorado River Salinity Control Forum; and Calvin Sudweeks, Director, Bureau of Water Pollution Control, Utah Department of Health. EIS Process - Big Sandy Unit, Wyoming On October 17, 1986, the Wyoming State Office of the SCS 4 announced intentions to prepare an Environmental Impact State- ment on the Big Sandy Unit of the Colorado River Salinity Control Program. Scoping meetings were conducted in the project area during October and November 1986, Participants in these meet- ings included the EPA, BLM, Wyoming State Engineer's Office, Wyoming Department of Environ- mental Quality, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and land- owners from the project area, Agencies cooperating In develop- ment of the EIS included the ASCS, CES (Cooperative Exten- sion Service), Wyoming State Engineer's Office, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the Wyoming Conservation Commission, A preliminary draft EIS was dis- tributed for review and comment prior to developing the draft EIS, The formal draft EIS was dis- tributed for review on February 27, 1987. The comment period, ex- tended 15 days, closed on May 12, 1987. After consideration and incorporation of the review com- ments, the final EIS was dis- tributed in late 1987, USDA Operating Procedures Workshops To introduce USDA agency per- sonnel to their duties and respon- sibilities for program implementa- tion, and to facilitate agency cooperation and coordination during program implementation, the USDA jointly conducted inter- agency workshops, Personnel at the project level were trained in agency duties and responsibilities as published in rules and regula- tions and in USDA operating pro- cedures developed to guide