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Sean D. Reyes
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U.S. Department of Interior Transfers Two Water Projects from Federal to Local Ownership

September 18, 2020

Today, U.S. Department of the Interior transferred two federal water projects to local ownership in the State of Utah during a signing ceremony at the Utah State Capitol.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt joined Utah Congressmen and local government leaders to officially transfer the Emery County Project and the Uinta Basin Replacement Project, two former federal water projects, to the ownership of the Emery County Conservancy District and the Moon Lake Water Users Association. These are the first water projects to be transferred from federal to local ownership under the new authority granted to the Department of Interior last year as part of the Dingell Act. This is a great step towards reducing federal liability and giving ownership back to the states.

Kirk Christensen, President of Board of the Moon Lake Water Users Association and Lee McElprang, Chairman of the Emery County Conservancy District finalized this transfer with their signatures on this historic document.

Also in attendance were Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, Governor Gary R. Herbert, Lt. Governor Spencer Cox, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Mitt Romney, Representative Rob Bishop, and Representative John Curtis.