States present divergent plans for Colorado River water rationing

States present divergent plans for Colorado River water rationing

Officials from states sharing the Colorado River have submitted differing proposals to the federal government on managing severe reductions in the river’s flow due to climate change, with disagreements on equitable distribution of these cutbacks.

Jennifer Yachnin reports for E&E News.


In short:

  • Seven states sharing the Colorado River have submitted conflicting proposals to the federal government to manage severe water cutbacks amidst ongoing drought and climate concerns.
  • The Upper Basin states suggest that the Lower Basin should bear more burden for reductions, while the Lower Basin calls for equitable distribution of cuts among all states.
  • Interior Department and Bureau of Reclamation to deliberate on the proposals with an objective to draft a consensus plan by the year's end, as current agreements expire in 2026.

Key quote:

"If we want to protect the system and ensure certainty for the 40 million people who rely on this water source, then we need to address the existing imbalance between supply and demand.”

— Becky Mitchell, Colorado’s Colorado River commissioner

Why this matters:

The outcome of these negotiations is important not just for environmental stewardship, but for health outcomes as well. Millions rely on this water for daily life, and equitable access to clean water is a determinant of public health, echoing a significant national issue of resource sustainability.

Opinion: Water injustice on display in the Southwest US.

A paved trail through volcanic rock with green mountains in the background.

Trump nominee backs out of land management role after past criticism of Jan. 6 surfaces

Kathleen Sgamma withdrew her nomination to lead the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just before her Senate confirmation hearing, following the resurfacing of her 2021 condemnation of the Capitol riot and Trump’s role in it.

Maxine Joselow reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
The White House in Washington DC in golden afternoon sun.

Trump orders sweeping rollback of environmental rules without public input

President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders last week to repeal longstanding energy and environmental regulations, bypassing public comment and triggering legal pushback.

Niina H. Farah, Lesley Clark, and Robin Bravender report for E&E News.

Keep reading...Show less
Two raw steaks on a black slate plate with parsley.

Meat industry-backed PR campaign fueled backlash against plant-forward diet study

A public relations firm working with the meat and dairy industry orchestrated an aggressive media campaign to discredit the landmark 2019 EAT-Lancet report, documents reviewed by DeSmog reveal.

Clare Carlile reports for DeSmog.

Keep reading...Show less
Graphic image of a landscape with a wind turbine in the background.

Trump’s tariffs shake global trade and stall U.S. clean energy push

President Trump’s new tariffs rattle clean energy markets at home while nudging other countries toward domestic renewables.

Dan Gearino reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Middle aged woman in a white cotton shirt, glasses, and straw hat, outside on a hot day holding a fan in her hand and putting her other hand to her forehead.

Trump’s layoffs freeze $380 million in energy aid as extreme heat looms

Millions of Americans may face sweltering conditions this summer without access to federal cooling assistance,after the Trump administration laid off staff who managed a critical energy aid program for low-income households.

Naveena Sadasivam reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
Refinery silhouetted against a cloudy sky.

Canadian mayors call for climate-focused infrastructure over new oil pipelines

Municipal leaders across Canada are urging federal parties to prioritize green infrastructure and disaster resilience in the upcoming election, warning that expanding fossil fuel projects will deepen the climate crisis.

Verity Stevenson reports for CBC News.

Keep reading...Show less
Drawing of two coal miners in a coalmine

Trump bets on coal as Kentucky’s power edge fades

President Donald Trump signed new executive orders to keep coal plants running, but experts say Kentucky’s rising power costs could hurt economic growth unless the state diversifies its energy sources.

Liam Niemeyer reports for Kentucky Lantern.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.