Cadiz Inc. gets federal approval to repurpose pipeline for Mojave Desert water export

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, acting under the Trump administration, approved Cadiz Inc.'s plan to convert a 162‑mile former oil‑and‑gas pipeline into a conduit for groundwater from the Cadiz Ranch in the Mojave Desert. The agency said the repurposing would comply with all applicable statutes and would not significantly affect the environment. Cadiz plans to build seven pump stations, three of which would sit on federal land, to move water toward cities in California.

Environmental groups and Native‑American tribal leaders criticized the decision, warning that the project would drain rare desert springs and damage wildlife habitat. Cadiz CEO Susan Kennedy hailed the approval as a “pivotal milestone,” while Chance Wilcox of the National Parks Conservation Association called the move “indefensible.” The project, which has faced decades of opposition, also must satisfy a 2019 California law requiring scientific study and State Lands Commission approval before water can be exported from the desert.

The approval marks the first federal step toward construction, moving the controversial water‑export scheme closer to implementation.