Officials from Arizona, California, and Nevada have reached an agreement to conserve 3 million acre-feet of water by 2026, the equivalent of 6 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, in order to protect the Colorado River from drought. In exchange for temporarily using less water, users in the three states will receive federal funding, though the amount is unspecified. This agreement is a positive step towards ensuring the Colorado River continues to provide power and drinking water to the seven U.S. states, parts of Mexico, and Native American tribes that rely on it.
Posts tagged as “Sierra Nevada”
The Clark County coroner's office has identified human remains found at Lake Mead in Nevada last summer as those of Claude Russell Pensinger, a 52-year-old man who went missing in 1998. His brother identified him as a Navy and Coast Guard veteran, and the remains were found on three different dates. The cause of death is still unknown, but the coroner's office said it is not suspicious.
Adam Laxalt, a Donald Trump ally, has been appointed to lead a political action committee encouraging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Laxalt was endorsed by Trump in the 2022 Senate race and chaired his 2020 campaign in Nevada, repeating false claims of fraud. He was also a public face of Trump's unsuccessful lawsuits challenging election rules and results. The appointment of Laxalt is seen as a sign of Trump's continued influence within the Republican Party, though it is unclear if the committee will be successful.
The Oakland Athletics have taken a major step forward in their plan to build a new stadium in Las Vegas, with team president Dave Kaval announcing the purchase of a 49-acre site near the Las Vegas Strip. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 to 35,000 and will feature a retractable roof, and the A's will now work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the project. The team is excited to move forward and make their dream of a major league ballpark in Las Vegas a reality.
The Biden administration has released an environmental analysis of competing plans for how seven Western states and tribes reliant on the Colorado River should cut their water use. The review did not state which option should be chosen, but defended the Interior Department's authority to make sure basic needs such as drinking water and hydropower are met. The White House has proposed new measures to dramatically cut how much water states can draw from the Colorado River, and the Interior Department is expected to make a decision soon.
The Colorado River is a vital source of water and electricity for seven states and numerous tribes. The US Interior Department has released two plans for how to reduce water usage in the Colorado River system, with California and some tribes favoring one and the other six states favoring the other. The Biden administration has declined to take a side, but the analysis provides an overview of the situation and potential consequences of each plan to help the states and tribes come to an agreement.
Jeremy Renner, best known for his roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was nearly killed in a New Year's Day snowplow accident that left him with 30-plus broken bones. In an exclusive interview, Renner discussed the incident, saying it was his mistake and he is now in a wheelchair recovering from the accident. Despite the trauma, Renner is determined to move forward and continue his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shifting the narrative of being victimized.
A diver found a human bone near the shore of Lake Mead in October, prompting a search by a park dive team that uncovered more. DNA analysis was used to identify the remains as belonging to Donald Smith, a Las Vegas resident who reportedly drowned in April 1974. The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner confirmed the remains and ruled the death an accident, providing closure to Smith's family and friends after nearly five decades.