WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema released a statement following a consensus-based water conservation proposal by the Lower Colorado River Basin States. The proposal commits to measures to conserve at least 3 million-acre-feet of system water through the end of 2026, when the current operating guidelines are set to expire. The proposal will now be fully analyzed as an action alternative under the Bureau of Reclamation’s draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).
“Today’s announced water conservation proposal by the Lower Basin States is a step in the right direction, and I appreciate the collaboration and hard work of the Lower Basin States and the Department of Interior that led to today’s announcement. Consideration of this proposal by the Upper Basin States brings us closer to a durable, consensus-based solution. As I’ve long said, the Colorado River is all of ours – we thrive or fail together, and failure is not an option. I will continue to work with my colleagues throughout the Basin to help reach a deal that ensures Arizona’s secure water future for generations to come.”
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