Greg Stanton Pushes for Fair Colorado River Deal After Missed Deadline

Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ) is urging swift action after states that depend on the Colorado River missed a key deadline to decide how to share its shrinking water supply.

On February 14, Stanton posted a thread on X, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and calling for a solution that recognizes Arizona’s early water conservation efforts. “We can’t keep kicking this down the road — we need a workable agreement now that protects the river for the long term,” he wrote.

He added: “Any fair plan starts with recognizing Arizona’s sacrifices for Colorado River conservation. We made tough cuts on water use early and proved responsible growth is possible."

The congressman also highlighted how Arizona’s rapid growth and expanding industries make it essential that the state receive an appropriate share of water. “Arizona is leading in sectors like semiconductor manufacturing that are vital to national security,” Stanton explained. “I’m fighting for an agreement based on today’s reality, not the politics of the past.”

The missed deadline underscores how difficult the negotiations have become. The seven states that share the Colorado River are Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico, and have struggled for nearly two years to agree on new water-sharing rules.

Federal water officials had set a mid-February deadline, but the talks ended without resolution.

The conflict centers on divisions between the Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada), which have already agreed to mandatory water cuts, and the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico), which have resisted similar restrictions.

As climate change continues to dry up the river, which supplies nearly 40 million people across the Southwest, Stanton said there’s no time to waste.

He urged politicians to look past old rivalries and is “fighting for an agreement based on today's reality, not the politics of the past, to ensure Arizona can get the appropriate share it deserves.”