Colorado River Fight Escalates as Arizona Heavyweight To Join Trump Lawsuit
"Those of us who share this precious resource have no choice but to turn to the courts,” CAP general manager Brenda Burman said.
The Central Arizona Project (CAP), a major water supplier for Arizona, has joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration over proposed cuts to the Colorado River's water allocation. The lawsuit, filed in Nevada district court, challenges a 10-year plan that includes significant reductions for Lower Basin states, including Arizona.
The Colorado River, a vital resource for the West, supplies water to tens of millions of people across seven states. The Lower Basin states are set to collectively cut their water use by up to 3 million acre-feet through 2036, while Upper Basin states are spared mandatory cuts. CAP's general manager, Brenda Burman, emphasized the need for courts to correct what she perceives as errors by the federal government in disregarding Colorado River Compact and other governing laws.
The Interior Department's proposed operating framework, outlined earlier this year, aims to address the ongoing drought and historically low reservoir levels, which have produced unprecedentedly low runoff and reservoir levels.
Brief written by urgent.news from Newsweek's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
