BLM: Cadiz Water Project Can Use Railroad Right-of-Way
On Friday, Oct. 13, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management issued a letter stating that the Cadiz Water Project’s proposed use of the Arizona & California Railroad’s right-of-way for construction of the Project’s pipeline “furthers railroad purposes,” and thus is within the scope of the railroad’s original right-of-way grant from the federal government.
The letter reverses a controversial decision made by BLM’s California office two years ago that generated bi-partisan Congressional requests for reconsideration. Labor organizations, water districts, railroads, rural communities and other numerous other stakeholders also criticized the determination and asked that it be reconsidered.
Cadiz, Inc. CEO Scott Slater stated:
We have long maintained that the 2015 evaluation by BLM was wrong on the law, wrong on the facts and inconsistent with the policy driving co-location of infrastructure in existing rights-of-way to minimize project footprints and environmental harm.
We are grateful for the determined bi-partisan Congressional effort that sought a deeper, fair and unbiased review of the Project’s proposed use of the right-of-way by BLM and are tremendously satisfied to finally have this matter resolved.
Read the BLM letter here.
Read the Cadiz, Inc. news release on the letter here.
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