On Friday, in the last hours of the Biden administration, the Bureau of Reclamation announced it would spend $388.3 million for environmental projects in Colorado and three other Colorado River Basin states. Now that funding is in limbo. The money was set to come from a Biden-era law, the Inflation Reduction Act. On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to halt spending money under the act. Lawmakers were still trying to understand whether the freeze applied to the entire Inflation Reduction Act or portions of it as of Wednesday afternoon.  The new executive order focused on energy spending but also raised questions about funding for environmental projects in the Colorado River Basin, including $40 million for western Colorado’s effort to buy powerful water rights tied to Shoshone Power Plant on the Colorado River and 16 other projects in Colorado.

Other Colorado River articles:

• My Herald Review (Sierra Vista, Ariz.): Arizona Senators announce $257 million for Colorado River Conservation Projects
• Sen. Mark Kelly news release: Kelly, Gallego applaud over $257 million in funding for Colorado River Conservation Projects
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Opinion: Federal water investments are essential. They helped save our Utah town.