Opinion: Solving the worsening drought in the western states will require all of us working together [Opinion]
The effects of climate change are on display everywhere, from health care to water reliability to housing.Americans who rely on the Colorado River live in California. The other states’ plan would direct California to take a disproportionate share of new water reductions from the river — so that California alone would shoulder over half of the entire Colorado River Basin’s new cuts in water use beyond those already required by existing laws and agreements.
Last fall, California was the first and only state to put forward a plan to voluntarily reduce water usage. We know it’s going to take sacrifices to implement that plan, and we’re willing to make them. And we already have a blueprint for how this can be done. Twenty years ago, our state’s agricultural and urban communities came together to meet California’s commitment to permanently reduce its Colorado River water use by 20 percent. They negotiated agreements that facilitated the transfer of agricultural water to our cities in order to secure Southern California communities’ long-term water supply and keep our agricultural regions productive.
All seven states agree on just how much water we need to save to secure our region’s long-term future. And although it has been lost in hyperbolic headlines, we want to make clear: We all agree on the fundamental human right to water. California’s plan unequivocally ensures that the taps won’t be turned off to tribes and cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. We are not seeking a deal that would make anyone go thirsty.
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