Hi Friends of Rivers!

We’re thrilled to be telling our story across the U.S. — in the New York Times, in Aspen, and in Northern Colorado.

First, two weeks ago the New York Times highlighted our work speaking out against speculative nature protection schemes that we felt would be a setback for river protection in the U.S. and abroad. The NYTimes story titled, “Nature Has Value: Could We Literally Invest In It?,” discussed a proposal by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list so-called “Natural Asset Companies” on the stock market allowing the public to invest in a broader concept of nature preservation.

However, upon reviewing the SEC proposal, we felt that it was filled with loopholes that, by further commodifying Nature, could simply be used as greenwashing for Nature and River destroyers, specifically by the dam-building industry. We put in comments to the SEC that the NYTimes discussed and linked to in their story. The Times stated (read the story here),

“There is also pushback, however, from people who strongly believe in protecting natural resources, and worry that monetizing the benefits would further enrich the wealthy without reliably delivering the promised environmental upside. Save the World’s Rivers filed a comment opposing the plan partly because, it said, the valuation framework centered on nature’s use to humans, rather than other living things.”

Second, we’ve launched a new line of river protection in the state of Colorado by intervening — and opposing — water rights applications in state water court. Our first intervention was against a massive boondoggle of a proposed dam in Grand County, CO, called the “Troublesome Project,” and trouble indeed it is. The proposal is to build a ~21,000 acre reservoir on the East Fork of Troublesome Creek and then divert the water out for various uses. Further, there’s speculation that a super wealthy water developer is trying to sell the water to Denver and the Front Range.

Aspen Journalism wrote a short piece on our opposition in state water court. The craziness of this project (and others!) is that the Colorado River is already in serious chaos, but yet the State of Colorado may be granting NEW AND MORE WATER RIGHTS to drain the river even more. Our letter of intervention stated point-blank that climate change will make these water rights null and void, and that it’s nonsensical to allow these water rights applications to move forward. We are always happy to be highlighted in Aspen Journalism which posts some of the best water-and river-related news stories in Colorado. You can read our letter of opposition here.

Finally, we’re happy to see the northern Colorado-based publication, BizWest Media, highlight our work helping to protect St. Vrain Creeks in Lyons, Colorado. Recall, we helped support a Rights of Nature for Rivers and Watersheds resolution with the Town Board of Lyons. It took us two years of meetings and work, but we’re excited to see the Creeks and Watershed better protected.

Lyons had a massive flooding event back in 2013 that caused havoc across the community. The flood, while devastating, brought new attention — and a lot of funding — to the community for flood recovery and rebuilding, while dramatically increasing the community’s awareness of the power of water and rivers in their lives.

It is unfortunate events like this flood that re-educate the human community about the role of Nature in our lives. Lyons stands tall as a place that is learning and growing — and now better protecting — the river and the lives of residents.

It’s your support that makes our work possible and gets us in the media telling our story.

Please keep us working hard by donating on our website here.

Thank you!