[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 48882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24697]
[[Page 48882]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Operation and Maintenance Rate Adjustment: San Carlos Irrigation
Project, Arizona
ACTION: Notice of proposed irrigation operation and maintenance (O&M)
rate adjustment.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs proposes to change the assessment
rates for operating and maintaining the San Carlos Irrigation Project
for the 1998 and 1999 irrigation season. The following table
illustrates the impact of the rate adjustment.
San Carlos Irrigation Project
[Irrigation Rate Per Assessable Acre]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year
-----------------------------------
Present Proposed Proposed
1997 1998 1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rate................................ $30.00 $20.00 $26.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Area Director, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Phoenix Area Office, P.O. Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona 85001,
Telephone (602) 379-6956.
DATE: Interested parties may submit comments on the proposed rate
adjustment. Comments must be submitted on or before October 17, 1997.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning the proposed rate adjustment must be
in writing and addressed to: Director, Office of Trust
Responsibilities, Attn.: Irrigation and Power, MS#4513-MIB, Code 210,
1849 ``C'' Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240, Telephone (202) 208-
5480.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The authority to issue this document is
vested in the Secretary of the Interior by 5 U.S.C. 301 and the Act of
August 14, 1914 (38 Stat. 583, 25 U.S.C. 385). The Secretary has
delegated this authority to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs
pursuant to part 209 Departmental Manual, Chapter 8.1A and Memorandum
dated January 25, 1994, from Chief of Staff, Department of the
Interior, to Assistant Secretaries, and Heads of Bureaus and Offices.
This notice is given in accordance with Sec. 171.1(e) and 171.1(g)
of part 171, Subchapter H, Chapter 1, of Title 25 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, which provides for the fixing and announcing the
rates for annual operation and maintenance assessments and related
information of Bureau of Indian Affairs irrigation projects.
The assessment rates are based on a prepared estimate of the cost
of normal operation and maintenance of the irrigation project. Normal
operation and maintenance means the expenses we incur to provide direct
support or benefit to the project's activities for administration,
operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation. We must include at least:
(a) Personnel salary and benefits for the project engineer/manager
and our employees under his management/control;
(b) Materials and supplies;
(c) Major and minor vehicle and equipment repairs;
(d) Equipment, including transportation, fuel, oil, grease, lease
and replacement;
(d) Capitalization expenses;
(e) Acquisition expenses, and
(f) Other expenses we determine necessary to properly perform the
activities and functions characteristic of an irrigation project.
Payments
The irrigation operation and maintenance assessments become due
based on locally established payment requirements. No water shall be
delivered to any of these lands until all irrigation charges have been
paid.
Interest and Penalty Fees
Interest, penalty, and administrative fees will be assessed, where
required by law, on all delinquent operation and maintenance assessment
charges as prescribed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 4, Part
102, Federal Claims Collection Standards; and 42 BIAM Supplement 3,
part 3.8 Debt Collection Procedures. Beginning 30 days after the due
date interest will be assessed at the rate of the current value of
funds to the U.S. Treasury. An administrative fee of $12.50 will be
assessed each time an effort is made to collect a delinquent debt; a
penalty charge of 6 percent per year will be charged on delinquent
debts over 90 days old and will accrue from the date the debt became
delinquent. No water shall be delivered to any farm unit until all
irrigation charges have been paid. After 180 days a delinquent debt
will be forwarded to the United States Treasury for further action in
accordance with Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-
134).
Dated: September 4, 1997.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-24697 Filed 9-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P