Several Colorado Democrats are using the recent detections of zebra mussels in the Colorado River to push for implementation of key provisions in the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act. The EXPLORE Act, as it’s more commonly known, passed in December 2024 and contained multiple bills around improving public land access and conservation, including the aptly named “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act.” The law gave new authorities to the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture to respond to and monitor aquatic invasive species. 

Other invasive species news:

• FOX40 (Sacramento, Calif.): Invasive plant removal efforts continue along American River
• Los Banos Enterprise (Calif.): Golden mussel still threatens near Los Banos nearly a year after first discovery
• The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah): A wildly popular Utah recreation spot faces an enemy it likely can’t beat