2026 Your Wins for the West

SUMMER 2026

Wins for the West

For more than three decades, WRA has helped shape policies that protect the air, land, water, and wildlife of the Interior West.

As a valued member of a WRA giving society, you’re helping us protect the West for generations to come.

Clear waters of Lake Tahoe surrounded by pine trees, granite builders, and forested mountains under a blue sky

STATE POLICY DELIVERS LASTING RESULTS

Many of the West’s biggest environmental challenges are solved through state policy. WRA combines legal, technical, economic, and policy expertise to turn practical ideas into durable solutions that improve life across the West.

The results aren’t always immediate, but they are long lasting. From protecting water supplies and modernizing the electric grid to restoring wildlife habitat and strengthening communities, today’s policy decisions shape the West for decades. That’s why WRA focuses on practical solutions built to endure.

Your support helps make this progress possible.

A man holding power supply cable at electric vehicle charging station, closeup

COLORADO BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY RECYCLING SYSTEM.

As electric vehicles become more common, so do questions about what happens to their batteries at the end of their useful lives. As the clean energy transition accelerates,, WRA advanced landmark legislation in Colorado that creates a statewide system to collect, reuse, repurpose, and recycle EV batteries.

The new law keeps critical minerals in circulation, reduces waste, and makes EV’s even more climate friendly by reducing the need for new mining. WRA helped shape this first-in-the-nation policy, creating a model other Western states can build on.

COLORADO IS INVESTING IN SAFER ROADS AND HEALTHIER WILDLIFE POPULATIONS.

Colorado’s highways connect communities, but they can also divide critical wildlife habitat and increase the risk of dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions. This year, WRA helped advance bipartisan legislation establishing a dedicated funding source to build wildlife crossings and other transportation improvements.

These updates help reconnect migration routes and keep animals off busy roadways. The program is supported through a voluntary vehicle registration fee, creating a reliable source of funding for project that will benefit both people and wildlife for years to come.

WRA championed legislation that established a dedicated, long-term funding source instead of relying on one-time investments. That means more wildlife crossings can be built to improve public safety, reconnect critical habitat, and support Colorado’s iconic wildlife for years to come.

Solar panels and wind turbines in a field with hills in the background under a clear sky.

SIXTEEN UTAH COMMUNITIES ARE MOVING TOWARD A CLEANER ENERGY FUTURE

After years of collaboration, 16 Utah communities voted to move forward with the Community Clean Energy Program, marking a major milestone in expanding clean energy choices across the state. The program will give participating residents and businesses the option to receive net-100% renewable electricity through Rocky Mountain Power. This creates a new pathway to cleaner, more reliable energy.

WRA helped lay the foundation for this achievement by advancing the policy framework that made the program possible and supporting its development every step of the way. As the program launches, it will serve communities representing nearly 95% of the coalition’s eligible energy demand, demonstrating how thoughtful policy and local leadership can create lasting progress toward a cleaner energy future.

A NEW PLAN COULD RESHAPE HOW THE COLORADO RIVER IS MANAGED FOR DECADES.

As the Colorado River faces another critically dry year, WRA is advancing innovative solutions to help communities adapt while protecting one of the West’s most important water resources. This spring, WRA and Water Balance Consulting released a concept paper outlining flexible conservation pools.

This new approach would allow conserved water to be stored in Lake Powel or Lake Mead and used when it’s needed most during drought. The approach helps improve the reliability of the river system while creating incentives for voluntary water conservation.

The paper informed discussions about the river’s future as the Bureau of Reclamation released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for post-2026 Colorado River Operations last week. By bringing practical, data-based solutions to the table, WRA is helping lay the groundwork for more collaborative and resilient management of the Colorado River in the years ahead.

Colorado River flows through Horseshoe bend in Arizona

Together, we are creating a hopeful and sustainable future for our home and for nature.

The West’s biggest challenges won’t be solved in a single legislative session. They require long-term commitment, thoughtful policy, and sustained collaboration.

WRA will continue working with policymakers, partners, and communities to advance durable solutions that protect clean air, secure water supplies, conserve wildlife and habitat, and strengthen communities across the Interior West.

Your continued commitment helps build lasting progress across the Interior West, year after year.

Thank You

Your commitment drives the policy expertise, strategic defense, and on-the-ground presence that will lead to future climate victories across the region.

Please contact us to learn more about your impact.