The Biden administration is trying to throw a Hail Mary to save the Colorado River before Trump takes over

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Climate

Updated 9:30 PM EST, Wed November 20, 2024


CNN — The Biden administration is swimming against the current to get seven Western states to agree to divvy up the Colorado River’s water in a way that would protect the river basin and the West’s largest single water source – and do it before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

It’s a Hail Mary to save the lifeblood of the West on President Joe Biden’s watch and create a sustainable plan to provide drinking water for tens of millions of people, irrigate America’s crops and power homes and industry in the years to come.

But getting all states and stakeholders to agree in just two months how much water they could be entitled to for decades is extremely doubtful, if not impossible, multiple sources involved in the negotiations told CNN.

The Biden administration’s long-shot goal is the latest move in a water showdown that has simmered for years between states as the West becomes more arid and its water-guzzling population explodes.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/20/climate/biden-colorado-river-plans/index.html

[XanaDUer2]

1. Hell is coming

Nt

[Magoo48]

5. Or, at least greatly accelerated changes. Those changes will be very changy.

[CrispyQ]

2. Good luck to him. They've been working on this for years & nothing ever sticks.

More & more people with dwindling resources. What could go wrong? I predict huge migration out of the southwestern US in 10-20 years. We're never gonna address the eight billion pound elephant in the room.

[Magoo48]

4. Yes, that particular beast is protected by religious, social, and cultural bulwarks.

The beast will begin shrinking of its own accord relatively soon though due to the inevitable (new natural) causes provided to us all on behalf of Climate Catastrophe. We have encountered the enemy, and he is us.

[not fooled]

8. Yep. I just got out.

Rising temperatures and longer summer weather.

The handwriting is on the wall. Before leaving I told my neighbors that based upon projections of current trends, within a couple of decades going outside in the summer for more than short periods of time would be physiologically unsustainable. Got the glazed-over look in response. I don't think I ever met anyone in that town who wasn't a global warming denier. In the face of incontrovertible evidence right in front of their faces. Lots of LDS, lots of red don's "poorly educated."

[keithbvadu2]

3. Donald will surely have some rapist/sexual abuser to take charge of the problem.

He only hires the 'best'.

[orleans]

6. maybe they shouldn't try to get the states to agree for "decades" but instead

for a shorter period of time -- for ten years perhaps and then the next dem administration can start working on it again

[LisaM]

7. Probably not a bad idea.

I know that when long term agreements aren't put into place we have to re-hash the same battles, but OTOH, science changes often, too, and there could be breakthroughs we haven't even thought of.

You make a good point.

[Marthe48]

9. I'd like to see the Biden Admin throw a Hail Mary for the bigger problem

I'd support him 100% if President Biden used his new powers to save American Democracy. And then tend to all of the environmental, social and economic woes that would improve with sustained Democracy, but will get much worse with a facist dictator.