President Joe Biden celebrated the Department of Interior's "historic" agreement with seven states to advance protections for the Colorado River system.
Interior announced the new protections, which will be taken in conjunction with California, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico.
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In a statement, Biden called the measures an "important step forward in our efforts to protect the stability of the Colorado River System in the face of climate change and historic drought conditions."
"Thanks to my Investing in America agenda, we are deploying record resources to support water conservation and improve the Colorado River’s long-term sustainability," the president continued. "This approach will benefit the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River Basin for agriculture, drinking water, and power, and is a critical step to building a sustainable, resilient future for states, Tribes and communities throughout the West."
The Interior Department's announcement centered on a "consensus-based system conservation proposal," agreed to by the federal government and the seven basin states, which will aim to "conserve at least 3 million-acre-feet of system water through the end of 2026."
"There are 40 million people, seven states, and 30 Tribal Nations who rely on the Colorado River Basin for basic services such as drinking water and electricity," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland added in a separate statement. "Today’s announcement is a testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to working with states, Tribes and communities throughout the West to find consensus solutions in the face of climate change and sustained drought."
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"In particular I want to thank Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau and Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, who have led the discussions with Basin state commissioners, Tribes, irrigators, local communities, and valued stakeholders to reach this critical moment," she said.
Biden has faced pressure from climate activists and other liberals to recommit to his green energy and environmental platform, specifically after the past year saw the president take significant steps to boost domestic oil and gas production in the face of the war in Ukraine.