Episode 10 - Current Events

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​Episode Highlights:

• [1:00] Catching up - John, Brent and Elizabeth are together again. The first 6+minutes of this episode contain personal opinions and reactions to the recent election.
  
  
• [6:24] John's follow-up to last week's episode - Last week's episode came right after the election and we've learned additional details since then.
  
  
  • President-elect Trump's children will not be serving in his administration but will instead be managing the Trump business under a blind trust.
    
    
  • Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner may have a senior role in the White House. 
    
    
  • Transition is in still in flux as they work to fill 4000 positions.
    
    
• [8:44] Less regulation, more power in the states - A Trump administration will likely move away from the current regulatory environment.
  
  
  • ​Clean Water Act - As signaled during the campaign, the Trump administration will most likely throw out the controversial Waters of the Unites States/Clean Water Rule (currently held up in the courts) and end the expansion of the federal government's role.
    
    
  • WaterSense - Trump has stated he'll let the states run the EPA, which leaves the future of programs like WaterSense uncertain.
    
    
• [11:33] Climate Change - John, Brent and Elizabeth discuss the incoming administration's views on climate change vs. what the Obama administration has focused on these last 8 years.
  
  
  • How could having climate change skeptics in the administration affect water and water-use? 
    
    
• [16:14] It's a Lame-Duck Session - What will happen with the Water Resources Development Act?
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  • With Republicans still in control of both chambers and now the presidency, there likely won't be much political will to get something done this year. However, some still see it happening.
    
    
  • Next year, a Trump administration may support an increase in infrastructure spending, which could include water infrastructure.
    
    
• [19:38] Water sharing in AZ-NV-CA - John shares an article about the drought on the Colorado River and how it is leading to an idea about water sharing.
  
  
  • Ensuring water availability during times of drought.
    
    
  • For these three states, "the cooperation springs from self-preservation. If Lake Mead drops too low, the federal government could step in and reallocate the water."
    
    
• [24:37] The southern drought continues - With parts of MS, AL, GA, TN and NC in exceptional drought, we are starting to see some of the severe effects of this drought. 
  
  
  • There are around 30 wildfires in the south with little rain in the forecast.

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