The company Cadiz Inc. has been trying for years to pump groundwater in the Mojave Desert and ship it to thirsty cities in California. Now, the Trump administration has signed off on part of its plan: converting an oil and gas pipeline to transport water across the desert. The federal Bureau of Land Management released documents Thursday saying the company’s plan to repurpose 162 miles of the pipeline to transport water “will not significantly affect” the environment. … Environmental advocates and leaders of Native tribes, who have been fighting the project, criticized the decision by the Bureau of Land Management, saying it threatens natural springs and wildlife habitat in the desert.

Other groundwater news:

• East County Magazine (La Mesa, Calif.): Borrego Springs sees lowest groundwater pumping since 2021​​