Western senators are pushing state officials in the Colorado River Basin to reach agreement on a new long-term operating plan for the drought-stricken waterway. The lawmakers are also seeking a formal briefing on their progress.
Every senator representing a Colorado River Basin state — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — signed off on a Wednesday letter highlighting the “great value” of “a seven-state consensus agreement.”
“We all know the stakes: the drought conditions that confront us are top of mind for you, us, and all of our constituents,” states the letter, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News.
The missive, led by Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, the new chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, continued: “We recognize that negotiating any agreement in the Colorado River Basin is a difficult task, and appreciate all of the work that you have done and will do.”
