The Interior Department can now buy partial rights to old reservoir lands

The Interior Department changed its rules for buying land around reservoirs. It can now buy partial ownership, like easements, instead of full ownership, but only for reservoirs built before 1962.

For decades, the government had to buy entire parcels of land around these older reservoirs, even if it only needed a small part for access or conservation. This often made land acquisition too expensive or complicated. Now, the Interior Department can acquire just the specific rights it needs, which could make it easier and cheaper to manage these older sites.