Tribes push for water sovereignty amid climate change challenges

The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation are advocating for control over the Big Wind River amid decreasing snowpack and rising temperatures. The tribes aim to preserve water for agriculture, culture, and spirituality, challenging proposed legislation like the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act, which they view as a threat to their sovereignty. Legal and political battles over water rights continue as climate change accelerates the urgency of their fight.