At the young age of 27, JB Hamby of California is perhaps the most powerful negotiator in deliberations among seven states about how to share water from the rapidly shrinking Colorado River. POLITICO’s Annie Snider breaks down Hamby’s rapid rise to one of the most powerful seats in the West and the huge responsibilities that come with it in determining the fate of the river that 40 million people rely on. Plus, the Interior Department announced it plans to hold an offshore wind auction off the Atlantic Coast next year.

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Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO and the host of the POLITICO Energy podcast.

Annie Snider covers water issues for POLITICO Pro.

Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.

Kara Tabor is an audio producer for POLITICO.

Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.

Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.

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Meet the 27-year-old tasked with saving the Colorado River