Category: News

December 3, 2024: phys.org Analysis reveals overlooked NOₓ emissions in California’s Salton Sea air basin A recent study led by the University of California, Davis, has revealed that soil contributes to at least 25% of nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions in California’s Salton Sea air basin. The research found that soil in the region emits approximately…

October 19, 2024: Imperial Valley Press EPA settles case with Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal over wetlands discharge impacting on Salton Sea The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached a settlement with Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal, LLC (HKG) for damaging wetlands connected to the Salton Sea through illegal dredging and ditching activities as part of a lithium extraction…

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.