The Department of the Interior has issued Secretary's Order 3446 to streamline construction projects funded by the federal government at Bureau of Reclamation facilities across 17 Western states. The new order aims to reduce administrative requirements, lower costs for water and power users, and speed up the completion of important infrastructure projects.
According to the department, the order instructs Reclamation to collaborate with local water and power partners to modify contracts and set new terms that enable qualified partners to handle parts of the procurement process on certain federally funded projects. This approach is expected to accelerate project delivery while maintaining oversight by federal authorities.
"The Trump administration is focused on unleashing American infrastructure, cutting unnecessary red tape and lowering costs for families, farmers and communities," said Secretary Doug Burgum. "By empowering local partners and simplifying federal processes, we can deliver water and power projects faster to make life more affordable for American families while strengthening economic growth throughout the West."
Implementation of the order will begin immediately. One of the first projects affected is the B. F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion in partnership with the San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority. Under this model, the authority will manage procurement for a major part of raising storage capacity during upcoming construction. The expansion will increase storage by 130,000 acre-feet at San Luis Reservoir, which is currently the largest off-stream reservoir in the country.
Additionally, Reclamation has been directed to review its main processes—such as cost-share programs, engineering design review procedures, guidelines, and environmental compliance—by working with stakeholders to identify possible improvements.
“In addition to speeding up project timelines and cutting costs for our customers and taxpayers, the order directs the Bureau of Reclamation to review many of its processes, manuals and guidelines to identify further operational efficiencies,” said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek. “We’ve heard from many of our stakeholders that there are a multitude of ways to improve Reclamation’s customer service, and this order will help facilitate that in alignment with the goals of the Trump administration.”
The order also initiates a wider effort within Interior to find additional ways to reduce regulatory burdens across key Reclamation programs. These include cost-share requirements, engineering reviews, and environmental compliance standards. As part of this initiative, Reclamation plans consultations with water users, tribal nations, and other stakeholders about potential changes that could shorten project timelines or decrease expenses. The department will also look into whether this partner-led contracting method could be used effectively in other bureaus such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
