"Western Water: Interior May Shift Projects To Former Bernhardt Client"

"The Trump administration is working to transfer ownership of federal water infrastructure to California's Westlands Water District, the country's largest irrigation provider and a former lobbying client of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.

Westlands, an agricultural powerhouse in the San Joaquin Valley, has requested title transfer of several facilities under new authority in a 2019 public lands law, according to documents obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request and shared with E&E News.

The Rhode Island-sized district is seeking ownership of 1,034 miles of buried pipeline, multiple pumping plants and canals, and two field offices.

The Bureau of Reclamation confirmed it is moving forward with the transfer."

Jeremy P. Jacobs reports for E&E News July 23, 2020.