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Ted Cooke was asked to withdraw his nomination to lead the Bureau of Reclamation.

The withdrawal comes as seven states face a 2026 deadline to negotiate water sharing amid ongoing drought and shrinking Colorado River supplies.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A veteran water expert from Arizona says the Trump administration withdrew his nomination to lead the federal agency that oversees water management in the western U.S., leaving the Bureau of Reclamation without permanent leadership this year.

Ted Cooke told The Associated Press that he was preparing for a Senate confirmation hearing early this month but his name was removed from the agenda. He wasn’t told until this week that there was

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