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<br />16738
<br />
<br />Federal Regist!;:"i:il Vol. 52. No, 86 I Tuesday, May 5. 196ii'tiRu]es and Regulations
<br />
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<br />
<br />DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
<br />
<br />Agricultural Stabilization and
<br />Conservation Service
<br />
<br />7 CFR Part 702
<br />
<br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
<br />(CRSC) Program
<br />AGENCY: Agricultural Stabilization and
<br />Conservation Service (ASCS), USDA,
<br />ACTION: Interim rule.
<br />SUMMARY: The purpose of this interim
<br />rule is to set forth the terms and
<br />conditions of the Colorado River Basin
<br />Salinity Control (CRSC) Program, which
<br />is authorized by section 202(c) of the
<br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
<br />Act. as amended [43 U,S,C, 1592(c)],
<br />Under that section the Secretary of
<br />Agriculture is authorized to identify salt
<br />source areas in the Colorado River
<br />Basin and to develop project plans for
<br />implementing salinity control measures
<br />in such areas. In implementing such
<br />plans. the Secretary is to provide
<br />financial and technical assistance to
<br />land users to help them plan, install, and
<br />maintain needed soil and water
<br />conservation practices. including
<br />replacement of incidental fish and
<br />wildlife values. to conduct research.
<br />demonstration. and education activities.
<br />and to monitor and evaluate program
<br />effectiveness.
<br />, DATES: Effective May 5.1987. Comments
<br />must he received on or before July 6.
<br />1987 in order to'be assured of
<br />consideration.
<br />ADORESSES: Interested persons are
<br />invited to s'ubmit written comments to:
<br />Director, Conservation and
<br />Environmental Protecti.on_Divi_~i.on.-".
<br />AS,CS. P.O. Box 24.15. Washington. DC
<br />20013, telephorie number (202) 447-6221,
<br />FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
<br />Mr. James R. McMullen, Director;
<br />Conservation arid 'Environmental
<br />Protection Divitlion. ASeS, or'Mr. Gary
<br />A. Marghe-im. Director, Land Tre_stment
<br />Program Divisiop, SCS, USDA. -
<br />Washington. DC 20013. telephone
<br />numbers (202) 447-6221. and (202) 382-
<br />1870. respectively (8:00 a,m.-4:oo p,m:J,
<br />SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMAnON: This
<br />interim rule has been reviewed under
<br />United States Department of Agriculture
<br />(USDA) procedures established in
<br />accordance with Executive Order 12291
<br />and provisions of Departmental
<br />Regulations 1512-1. and has been
<br />classified as "not major," It has been
<br />determined that these program
<br />provisions will not result in: (1) An
<br />annual effect on the national economy
<br />by $100 million or more. (2) major
<br />increases in costs or prices for ~
<br />
<br />consumers. individual industries.
<br />Federal. State. or local govern,ment
<br />agencies. or geographic regions. or (3)
<br />significant adverse effects on
<br />competition, employment. investment,
<br />productivity.-innovation. or on the
<br />ability of United States,based '
<br />enterprises to compete with foreign-
<br />based enterprises in domestic or exp.ort
<br />markets.
<br />
<br />It has been determined that the
<br />Regulatory Flexibility Act is not
<br />applicable to this rule since the agencies
<br />involved are not required by 5 U,S.C 553
<br />or .any o~er provision of law to publish
<br />a notice of proposed rulemaking with
<br />respect to the subject matter of this rule.
<br />In accordance with the Act, the Soil
<br />Conservation Service (SCS). USDA, and
<br />the Bureau of Reclamation (BR). United
<br />States Department of Interior, USDI).
<br />investigate and identify salt source
<br />areas in the Colorado River Basin on a
<br />continuing' pr.oject by project gasis.
<br />Before implementing salinity reduction
<br />measures to reduce the amount of salt
<br />being contributed to the Colorado River,
<br />these agencies evaluate. assess, and
<br />prepare statements on the
<br />environmental impacts of salinity
<br />reduction.measures if it is determined
<br />by both or either agency to be desirable.
<br />to implement their respective program
<br />activities in an area, Environmental
<br />impact statements have been prepared
<br />for the Grand Vaney Project. Colorado:
<br />Uintah Basin Project. Utah and the
<br />Lower Gunnison Project, Colorado.
<br />Copies of the completed documents are
<br />available far inspection at Room 6036.
<br />South Agriculture Building. 14th and
<br />Independence Avenue. Washington. DC.
<br />The information collection
<br />.req\lirements cont~ined in these
<br />regul_ations have been approved by the'
<br />Office of Management and Budget
<br />. (OMB) under the provisions 44 U,S.C,
<br />Chapter 35 and have been assigned
<br />OtvtB #0560-0128 in accordance with
<br />the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1960 (44
<br />. U.S,C, 3507),
<br />The title and number of the Federal
<br />Assistance Program to which this rule
<br />applies are: Colorado River Salinity
<br />Control Progrem-10.070 as found in the
<br />Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
<br />This program is subject to the
<br />provisions of Executive Order 12372 .
<br />which requires interg.overnmental
<br />consultation with StatQ and local
<br />officials, See the notice related to 7 CFR
<br />Part 3015. Subpart V, published at 48 FR
<br />29115 (June 24. 1983), '
<br />In order to provide Information with
<br />respect to program participation
<br />requirements so that timely declsi.ons
<br />with respect to participation may be
<br />made prior to the end of this irrigation
<br />
<br />. season, it has been determined that this
<br />interim rule shall be effective upon
<br />publication in the Federal Resgister.
<br />Comments are requested with respect to
<br />this interim rule and such commenis
<br />shall be considered in developing the
<br />final rule,
<br />
<br />Background
<br />
<br />Salinity problems in the Colorado,
<br />River Basin Bre a critical concern to the
<br />seven basin states of Col.orado.
<br />Wyoming. Utah. Nevada. New Mexico.
<br />California. and Arizona and to the
<br />Republic of Mexico. Increasing salinity
<br />causes two major types of problems.
<br />First,- s'alinity build~up in the soil root
<br />. zones reduces or eliminates economic
<br />returns from growing agricultural
<br />products. Second. excessive salinity in
<br />groundwater, lakes. streams. and rivers
<br />reduces or precludes 'the use of this
<br />water for irrigation. domestic. municipal.
<br />and industrial water sup-ply' and for fish
<br />and wildlife habitat.
<br />Salt concentrati.ons and salt loading,
<br />cause increased salinity levels within
<br />the Colorado River. Salt concentrations
<br />are caused by evaporation; evapo-
<br />transpirati.on 'of irrigated crops. and
<br />export of water for other uses. This
<br />results in increased concentrations of
<br />salt in the soil and remaining water. Salt
<br />loading occurs as seepage and deep
<br />percolation dissolves material salts in
<br />the soils and highly saline geologic
<br />formations- as water returns to the
<br />Colorado River system.
<br />Colorado River' water serves as the
<br />primary source- of water for parts of the
<br />seven basin states and is used and
<br />reused for crop irrigation. hydro-electric
<br />power generation. and municipal and
<br />industrial'purposes. Increases in the
<br />salini,ty of the water causes
<br />considerable economic losses: For
<br />example.-8ccording to-the United States
<br />Department of the Interior (USDI). each
<br />milligram per liter (mg/L) increase in
<br />salinity-at 'Imperial Dam in tuizona'
<br />causes approximately $6801000 per year
<br />(1986 doUars) in economic damages to
<br />downstream agricultural. municipal and
<br />industrial water users within the United
<br />Slates. The increase of salinity in the
<br />Colorado River poses a threat to
<br />maintaining established state water
<br />quality standards as approved by the .
<br />United States Environmental Protection
<br />Agency and- may cause problems in -
<br />maintaining the water quality (salinity
<br />concentrations) standards t.o which the
<br />United States agreed for water delivered
<br />to Mexico under the Mexican Water
<br />Treaty of 1944,
<br />. SalInity levels of 500 to 700 mg/L In
<br />water and used for irrigation begin to
<br />have detrimental effects on'fann
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