All Administrative Appeals of Pine Valley Water Supply Project Dismissed, Clearing Path Forward

Posted on by paulmonroe47

Another Win for the Pine Valley Water Supply Project:

CEDAR CITY, Utah — June 2026 — Cedar Valley Water Conservancy (formerly the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District) announced that all three administrative appeals filed against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Record of Decision approving the Pine Valley Water Supply Project (PVWSP) have been resolved, with each appellant voluntarily withdrawing its challenge following favorable rulings from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Board of Land Appeals (IBLA).

The dismissals mark a significant milestone for the project, which will secure a long-term, sustainable water supply for Cedar Valley, Cedar City, Enoch, and Kanarraville.

Pine Valley Test Well

Background

On March 2, 2026, BLM’s Utah State Office issued a Record of Decision authorizing two rights-of-way to the Conservancy following a multi-year National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. The rights-of-way permit construction, operation, and maintenance of up to 15 production wells and approximately 70 miles of pipeline to convey up to 15,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually from Pine Valley in Beaver County to Cedar Valley in Iron County, consistent with water rights previously granted to the Conservancy by the State of Utah.

Following the Record of Decision, three parties filed notices of appeal and petitions to stay the decision with IBLA:

  • The Center for Biological Diversity (IBLA 2026-0124)
  • The Indian Peaks Band of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (IBLA 2026-0125)
  • A coalition led by Beaver County, Utah, joined by Millard, Juab, and White Pine (Nevada) counties, the City of Milford, the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority, the Great Basin Water Network, and several individual ranchers and water-rights holders (IBLA 2026-0126)

The Conservancy was granted intervenor status in all three proceedings.

IBLA Rulings

On May 11, 2026, IBLA issued orders denying each appellant’s request for a stay, finding that none had demonstrated a likelihood of irreparable harm — the threshold legal standard required before a stay may be granted. Among its key findings, the Board noted that:

  • Groundwater withdrawal will not begin until pipeline construction is complete, which is not projected to occur before mid-2032, well within the timeframe needed to fully adjudicate the appeals.
  • The Conservancy is required to implement an ongoing groundwater monitoring program to ensure the Pine Valley aquifer system does not exceed safe yield and that no prior water rights are impaired.
  • Most surface disturbance associated with construction will be reclaimed within five years, and appellants did not demonstrate specific harm from the limited long-term disturbance area.

Following the denial of their stay requests, all three appellants voluntarily withdrew their appeals in late May and early June 2026, and IBLA formally dismissed each case by June 2, 2026.

Conservancy Statement

“This outcome reflects the thoroughness of the environmental review process and the strength of the water rights and monitoring commitments underlying this project,” said Paul Monroe, CVWC General Manager. “We remain committed to responsible, sustainable development of this water supply and to ongoing dialogue with our neighbors, tribal partners, and regional stakeholders as we move toward construction.”

Project Timeline

With administrative appeals now resolved, the Conservancy anticipates proceeding with pre-construction planning and permitting activities. Under the current schedule reflected in the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, construction is projected to begin in early 2029, with completion anticipated by mid-2032.

The Conservancy will continue to provide updates on project milestones through its website and newsroom.

About Cedar Valley Water Conservancy

Cedar Valley Water Conservancy is charged with conserving, developing and stabilizing the Cedar Valley water supply for the benefit of all current and future water users and consumers in the region. The Conservancy educates residents about conservation, recharge, reuse, and water supply strategies as it strives to meet the challenges of declining water levels and community growth. To ‘Get to Know Your H2O’ and learn more about how to water less, visit Cedarvalleywaterutah.gov.

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