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Interior proposes coveted deal to ex-client of agency head

FILE - In this March 28, 2019, file photo, David Bernhardt speaks before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at his confirmation hearing to head the Interior Department, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Interior Department is proposing to award a contract for federal water in perpetuity to a water district that long employed Bernhardt. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE - In this March 28, 2019, file photo, David Bernhardt speaks before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at his confirmation hearing to head the Interior Department, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Interior Department is proposing to award a contract for federal water in perpetuity to a water district that long employed Bernhardt. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Interior Department is proposing to award one of the first contracts for federal water in perpetuity to a powerful rural water district that had employed Secretary David Bernhardt as a lawyer and lobbyist.

Environmental groups and a California Democratic lawmaker oppose giving the contract to the California’s Westlands Water District, the nation’s largest agricultural water supplier. The water supplier serves some of country’s wealthiest and most politically influential corporate farmers.

Bernhardt served as a lobbyist for Westlands until 2016, the year before he joined Interior, initially as deputy secretary.

“The Interior Department needs to look out for the public interest, and not just serve the financial interests of their former lobbying clients,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat from California.

Responding to questions, Interior spokeswoman Carol Danko said the handling of the Westlands’ contract was delegated entirely to California staffers of the Bureau of Reclamation, which is under the Department of Interior. The agency will make a final decision after the legally mandated public comment period, she said.