Take Action to Stop “Disaster Capitalism on the Colorado River!”

Hello Friends of the Colorado River!

Here’s what’s new along the Colorado River this week! First, we asked you to send emails to the County Commissioners in Boulder, Colorado, asking them to help stop the proposed Colorado River-draining “Gross Dam Expansion” in Southwest Boulder County. Over 700 of you sent emails! Thank you! And, can we get that to 1,000 emails? I bet we can! (click here to send an email to the Commissioners) These three commissioners — Deb Gardner, Elise Jones, and Cindy Domenico (L to R) — are some of the most progressive and environmental elected officials in the U.S., and, they’d love to hear from you if you have not already sent them an email.

Please click here to send them an email asking them to help stop the Gross Dam Expansion which would drain another five billion gallons of water out of the Colorado River every year. Further, the dam expansion would be the largest construction project in Boulder County history causing damage to roads, noise pollution, climate change emissions, and a significant impact on the quality of life of nearby residents. Click here to send an email to Commissioners Gardner, Jones, and Domenico — they need to hear from you today! We are having a meeting about this issue next week in Boulder and the Commissioners need 1,000 emails in their inboxes to help spur them to action. Thank you!

Second, check out our column in America’s largest-circulation newspaper, USA Today, that appeared online yesterday. The column, titled “Disaster Capitalism on the Colorado River” (click here to read it) asks the hard questions about what’s going on with the Obama administration and its new focus on water. Will it protect and restore our rivers? Or will it collude with the private sector to further privatize water supplies so “climate change investors” (a.k.a. “Disaster Capitalists”) can make billions in profit as the demand for water increases while climate change shrinks supply?

We are very concerned by some of the statements coming from Secretary Jewell about building new “storage, pipelines, and canals” and “advancing efficient permitting” that could further destroy the river. I end the column by saying that Obama should: “Focus on the protection and restoration of the Colorado River ecosystem, and make sure that the river’s amazing water resource is administered with equity and justice so that profiteering is minimized and the public good is maximized for all of the species — human and non-human alike — that depend on the river for survival.” Take a read here!

Finally, mark your calendars for our 2016 raft trip! The amazing people at OARS Whitewater Rafting have again offered us a fundraising raft trip on the Colorado River in 2016. This year’s trip will be in Cataract Canyon from July 31 – August 5. The ride through Cataract is awesome and includes “Big Drop,” which is one of the biggest rapids on the Colorado River, as well as lots of amazing serene stretches of river to rest, relax, and be a “tube lizard” in the sun. The float includes day hikes in Canyonlands National Park and a visit to the historic confluence of Green and Colorado Rivers. See trip details here. You can contact Emily Kay at OARS for more information: Phone: 209-753-4790, Email: emilyk@oars.com You can be in this photo below this summer! Join us!

Thank you for all of your support, and stay tuned fore MORE ACTION!