Democrats in Congress are demanding that the Trump administration investigate a top official at the Interior Department who is accused of violating ethics standards with a $3.5 million water deal for a Nevada lithium mine. In a Tuesday letter to the Office of the Inspector General, Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., referenced new evidence that they feel could implicate Karen Budd-Falen, the Interior Department’s third in command. The House Committee on Natural Resources and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations ranking members are focused on the Budd-Falen family’s water sale to the controversial Thacker Pass lithium mine in Northern Nevada in 2018.

Other water and mining news:

• The New York Times: Democrats seek investigation of $3.5 million deal by Interior official’s husband
• E&E News by Politico: Dems seek ethics probe into Interior official’s tie to lithium mine
• WyoFile (Cheyenne): Federal lawmakers call for investigation of Wyoming’s Budd-Falen for possible criminal, ethics violations
• Nevada Current: Rare Nevada toad and fish prompt conservation lawsuit over gold mining
• Center for Biological Diversity: News release: Lawsuit launched to protect rare Nevada animals threatened by gold mining