Dept. of Interior Cuts Red Tape to Speed Water Infrastructure in the West

The Department of the Interior has announced Secretary's Order 3446, which streamlines federally funded construction projects at Bureau of Reclamation facilities across the 17 Western states. The order reduces administrative burdens, cuts costs for water and power users and supports faster delivery of critical infrastructure across the West. The order directs the Bureau of Reclamation to work with local water and power partners to modify certain contracts and establish new contract terms that allow qualified partners to manage portions of the procurement process on some federally funded projects. This partner-led approach is designed to speed up project delivery and improve efficiency while