Leaders Call Attention to Climate Threats to the Colorado River

Leaders Call Attention to Climate Threats to the Colorado River

by Sandy Bahr

Sierra Club and the Climate Action Campaign, along with Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (CD7), State Representative Mariana Sandoval (LD23), San Luis City Councilmember Lizeth Servin, and local resident and Sierra Club Colorado River Taskforce Lead Cary Meister, held a news conference to highlight the harmful impacts to southwestern communities from climate change, especially on the Colorado River where there are reduced flows that threaten the health of the river and the well-being of communities that rely on the river.

“The Colorado River is not just a river–it is our lifeline,” said Representative Adelita Grijalva. “It sustains 40 million people, more than 30 Tribal Nations, and is the lifeblood of the Grand Canyon. It is currently in crisis as climate change is driving record droughts while the Trump administration rolls back protections and freezes conservation funding. We need stronger conservation efforts and long-term investments to secure Arizona’s water future for generations to come.”

The Colorado River provides drinking water to 40 million people, at least 30 Tribal Nations, and is critical to agriculture. The river also provides important habitat for wildlife, including native fish such as the humpback chub, and it is the heart of Grand Canyon, one of the most important economic drivers in northern Arizona. Prolonged drought, exacerbated by climate change, is resulting in decreased flows in the river and Arizona is the first state to feel the impact as it will receive less water from the river.

A backdrop to all of these impacts is the rollback of climate protections and elimination of programs that help us clean up energy generation. The Trump administration has curtailed funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, including Solar for All, and important incentives for wind and solar will end in December 2025. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking to repeal the endangerment finding–the finding that underpins much of the EPA’s work to reduce climate-harming emissions. The EPA is also proposing to roll back carbon pollution limits for power plants and provisions that limit methane emissions.

“While our communities are facing urgent challenges extreme–heat that endangers outdoor workers, drought that’s drying up our rivers, and fires that destroy homes and livelihoods–
the Trump administration is making things worse,” said State Representative Mariana Sandoval, who represents Legislative District 23. “They’re rolling back the very climate protections we need to stay safe and resilient. We are calling on this administration to stop the rollbacks and to stand with the people of Arizona–
not against them.”

The speakers highlighted the plight of the Colorado River, the impacts climate change is having on the health of the river and the impacts on the people along the river and beyond, and called on the Trump administration to stop the rollbacks of important climate protections.