Category: News

September 30, 2024: kpbs Why the Sierra Club is suing to change a deal aimed at protecting the Colorado River The Sierra Club is suing Imperial County’s Imperial Irrigation District (IID) over a water conservation deal aimed at saving the Colorado River. Under the deal, IID will cut water usage by 750,000 acre-feet over three…

September 28, 2024: https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/ Senator Padilla’s Historic Legislation Creating Salton Sea Conservancy Signed into Law Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 583 into law, creating the Salton Sea Conservancy. This new body will unify efforts to protect public health, restore ecological balance, and involve local stakeholders in addressing the environmental challenges posed by the…

September 26, 2024: theconversation.com: Big lithium plans for Imperial Valley, one of California’s poorest regions, raise a bigger question: Who should benefit? The discovery of vast lithium reserves in California’s Imperial Valley, now dubbed “Lithium Valley,” promises a potential economic revival for one of the state’s most distressed regions. With innovative extraction techniques using geothermal…

July 18, 2024: Inside Climate News: Energy Transition Is Coming at the Expense of Water. A new paper highlights the environmental impacts of lithium extraction and use, crucial for batteries powering electric vehicles and storing renewable energy. Lithium mining and processing, essential due to its superior charge-holding capacity, require significant water use, potentially depleting and…

Feb 23, 2024: Desert Sun: Lithium: Deadline to appeal Hell’s Kitchen project near Salton Sea pushed back. A local community health organization and a national environmental group have negotiated with the developer of the Hell’s Kitchen lithium and geothermal power projects to secure an extension of at least 15 days to appeal Imperial County approvals…

Jan 25, 2024: Desert Sun: Construction starts on huge lithium project near Salton Sea despite threat of a lawsuit. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Hell’s Kitchen 1 plant, a groundbreaking lithium extraction and geothermal power facility near the Salton Sea. The $1.85 billion project, attended by White House energy advisor John Podesta and…

Jan 21, 2024: Daily Kos: Group Urges State Water Board To Prevent Merced River From Drying Up Again. The Merced River, renowned for trout and historic salmon runs, faced a crisis in late 2022 when it ran dry for four months near its confluence with the San Joaquin River. Friends of the River (FOR), a conservation group in…

Sep 21, 2023: CBS News: Shrinking Salton Sea raises health alarms for surrounding community Without replenishment from the Colorado River, the Salton Sea in Southern California is rapidly receding, exposing to the wind a dry and toxic lakebed that could pose ongoing health risks to the surrounding community. Jonathan Vigliotti has more.

Jul 31, 2023: CBS News: 60 Minutes: Not enough water to go around: Colorado River Basin, ravaged by drought, plans for a drier future Seven states and 30 Native American tribes lying in the Colorado River Basin prepare to make hard choices as water levels plummet due to a 23-year drought. Bill Whitaker reports.

May 7, 2023: CBS NEWS: 60 Minutes | California’s Lithium Valley could power electric vehicle industry. As the U.S. auto industry goes green, companies are developing lithium extraction for batteries in California’s Imperial Valley. Bill Whitaker reports.