The White House will withdraw the nomination for the Bureau of Reclamation.
The Bureau of Reclamation, a key agency responsible for managing water resources in the western United States, is currently without a permanent head following the withdrawal of Ted Cooke's nomination by the White House.
Ted Cooke, a former top official at the Central Arizona Project, was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Bureau of Reclamation in June. However, his nomination was withdrawn in recent developments. Cooke spent more than two decades at the Central Arizona Project, where he was responsible for distributing Colorado River water to Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. He stepped down from his role as the general manager of Central Arizona Project in early 2023.
The White House's decision to rescind Cooke's nomination has left the Bureau of Reclamation without permanent leadership nine months into President Trump's second term. The Interior Department has referred all questions regarding current or former nominees to the White House, and the White House did not respond to emails or a phone call seeking comment.
The vacancy at the Bureau of Reclamation comes at a critical time, as decades of persistent drought have led to shrunken flows in the Colorado River, necessitating state water usage cuts. A series of existing agreements that govern the Colorado River are set to expire next year, adding pressure on the White House to fill the vacant position.
State leaders are divided over how to distribute the pain of future supply shortfalls. A new agreement must be in place by Oct. 1, 2026, marking the start of the 2027 water year. The negotiations for a new long-term operating plan among the seven states that share the Colorado River are ongoing, involving the Interior and Reclamation departments.
Cooke's knowledge of the Colorado River Basin was praised by both environmental advocates and some state officials. His departure from the nomination process has added an unexpected twist to the ongoing negotiations. Cooke expressed that he did not seek this outcome and left it at that in a message.
The Colorado River negotiations add pressure on the White House to fill the vacant position at the Bureau of Reclamation. The agency plays a crucial role in managing the water resources of the western United States, and its leadership is essential for navigating the complex challenges posed by the ongoing drought and the upcoming expiration of existing agreements.
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