Legal Notice

Reclamation Announces Negotiations with the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District for Long-term Renewal Master Water Service Contract

Reclamation Announces Negotiations with the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District

for Long-term Renewal Master Water Service Contract

The Bureau of Reclamation invites interested members of the public to observe a working session with the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (District). The purpose of this session will be for Reclamation and the District to arrive at mutually agreeable terms and conditions for a long-term renewal contract that would continue authorization of Columbia Basin Project (Project) irrigation water service to up to 30,000 acres of irrigable lands located within the District that are currently authorized for such service under Master Water Service Contract No. 14-06-100-9165, as supplemented. The current contract is due to expire on July 2, 2020.

The proposed renewal contract would authorize the District to deliver a base quantity of up to 90,000 acre-feet of Project water annually to up to 30,000 First Phase Continuation Acres located within the District, and continue delivery of additional water to land irrigated under the District's repayment contract during the peak period of irrigation water use annually. The delivery of Project water beyond July 2, 2020, is dependent upon the execution of the proposed contract, which is to provide for the terms and conditions of water delivery and the water service charge to be paid annually to the United States for water delivered by the District.

This contract will reflect existing Federal Reclamation law and policy governing water service contracts. The goal of the negotiations is to arrive at a mutually agreeable contract. The negotiation session will be held:

July 22, 2015 at 10:30 am.

ATEC Center

Big Bend Community College

Bldg. 1800, 7611 Bolling Street NE

Moses Lake, WA 98837

From Moses Lake take Patton Blvd to Bolling Street NE; turn left. Parking lot will be on your right; ATEC Center will be on your left.

From Ephrata take Randolph Rd NE to Patton Blvd, turn left. Travel to Bolling Street NE, turn left. Parking lot will be on your right; ATEC Center will be on your left.

Interested parties are welcome to attend and will have the opportunity to provide comments regarding this contracting action. The negotiators do not plan to respond at the session to comments from observers. Copies of the proposed contract will be available at the session.

For additional information regarding the negotiation, please contact: Michael Cobell, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Boise, at (208) 378-5223, or Amy Rodman, Bureau of Reclamation, Ephrata Field Office, at (509) 754-0238.

#07050/4553133

Pub.: July 16, 17 & 20, 2015