[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 31973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13735]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Draft WaterSMART Strategic Implementation Plan

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior's draft WaterSMART (Sustain and 
Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Strategic Implementation Plan 
(draft Strategic Implementation Plan) identifies activities that will 
be undertaken to secure and stretch water supplies for use by existing 
and future generations. Within the draft Strategic Implementation Plan 
each bureau and office within the Department of the Interior shall 
identify, coordinate, and integrate its water conservation and 
sustainable water strategies; identify its information needs; utilize 
best available science to understand the impacts of climate change on 
water supplies; and provide Federal leadership and assistance in 
working toward the goal of sustainable water supplies.

DATES: Submit written comments on the draft Strategic Implementation 
Plan on or before August 1, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mr. David Raff, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Office of Policy and Administration 84-51000, P.O. Box 
25007, Denver, Colorado 80225; or e-mail WaterSMARTBOR@usbr.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Raff, Bureau of Reclamation, 
(303) 445-2461, draff@usbr.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Adequate water supplies are essential to 
people, the economy, and the environment. The Nation faces an 
increasing set of water resource challenges. Aging infrastructure, 
rapid population growth, depletion of groundwater resources, impaired 
water quality associated with particular land uses and covers, 
reservoir sedimentation, water needed for human and environmental uses, 
increased domestic energy development, and climate variability and 
change all play a role in determining the amount of fresh water 
available at any given place and time. It is increasingly recognized 
that water is the primary means through which climate change impacts 
the earth and people's livelihoods and well being. Water shortage and 
water-use conflicts have become more commonplace in many areas of the 
United States.
    To ensure that the Department of the Interior is positioned to meet 
these challenges, the Secretary issued an order (Secretarial Order 
3297) in February 2010 establishing the WaterSMART Program. Through the 
WaterSMART Program the Department of the Interior will work with 
states, tribes, local governments, and non-governmental organizations 
to secure and stretch water supplies for use by existing and future 
generations to benefit people, the economy, the environment, and will 
identify adaptive measures needed to address climate change and future 
demands. Within Secretarial Order 3297, Section 5(a) calls for the 
development of a written plan to implement the WaterSMART Strategy. The 
draft Strategic Implementation Plan fulfills that requirement and will 
provide the framework the Department of the Interior will use to 
provide Federal leadership in moving toward a sustainable water 
resources future.
    The Department of the Interior began developing the draft Strategic 
Implementation Plan in the summer of 2010. The draft Strategic 
Implementation Plan was distributed to members of the Advisory 
Committee on Water Information for review and comment in the fall of 
2010. Comments received during that review period have been 
incorporated within the draft Strategic Implementation Plan. The draft 
Strategic Implementation Plan includes information from each Department 
of the Interior bureau and office presented within 11 sections, 
including:
     Program Coordination.
     The Energy/Water Nexus: Water Used in Energy Production 
and Energy Used in Water Supply.
     Best Available Science.
     Water Footprint Reduction Program.
     WaterSMART Clearinghouse.
     Promoting Sustainable Water Strategies.
     Evaluation of Needed Information.
     Education and Awareness.
     Collaboration with States and Tribes.
     Planning Efforts.
     The Colorado River Basin Pilot.
    The activities identified within the draft Strategic Implementation 
Plan represent a comprehensive and coordinated approach by which the 
Federal government can provide leadership in working with other Federal 
agencies, states, tribes, and local governments as well as non-
governmental organizations to achieve a sustainable future.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, 
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: May 12, 2011.
Anne J. Castle,
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science.
[FR Doc. 2011-13735 Filed 6-1-11; 8:45 am]
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