The Nye County Water District Governing Board on Oct. 14 authorized contracting with a federal lobbying team led by Marcus Faust to pursue federal support for a proposed groundwater redistribution plan and to pursue a $10 million authorization in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024.

Staff presented the item as part of a broader effort to implement actions described in the county master plan and the district’s groundwater management priorities: specifically, a redistribution project intended to increase available perennial yield in Basin 162 by capturing flows from the south end of the valley and moving them north. The district reported it had received preliminary authorization listing for $10 million but that securing funds and advancing the project would require federal advocacy, agency engagement and completed engineering.

Two firms presented on the record: Ackerman (represented by Jane Sargent and Rick Spieth) and the Marcus Faust team. Presenters from both firms outlined experience placing federal appropriations and agency grants for counties and water districts and described the competitive and constrained funding environment in Washington. Marcus Faust’s team emphasized long experience representing water agencies and water districts across the West and listed Nevada and regional clients; Ackerman highlighted a long history representing Nye County in Washington.

Board members asked about timelines, success rates and staffing; representatives said Washington activity continues through agency leadership and congressional staff even during short‑term shutdowns and that pursuit would involve both congressional project funding slots and broader agency grant programs such as EPA, FEMA and Corps of Engineers appropriations. Staff recommended contracting to secure representation and to have an expert coordinate federal strategy and meetings with the Army Corps and the congressional delegation.

A motion to retain the Marcus Faust team for up to a one‑year term, with cancelation provisions, was moved and seconded and carried unanimously, 5-0. The manager told the board that staff would work with the firm and local partners (including utility entities and potential private stakeholders) on engineering, match strategy and meeting coordination in Washington.

Why it matters: The board framed the lobbying contract as a necessary step to pursue federal appropriations and agency grants for a multi‑phase groundwater redistribution project that local planning documents say was assumed when the basin’s perennial yield was increased in prior years. The contract does not itself authorize construction; it funds outside representation to coordinate federal advocacy, funding requests and agency engagement going into federal appropriations and agency grant cycles.