California launches Salton Sea Conservancy, first new conservancy in 15 years

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KESQ) Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the creation of the Salton Sea Conservancy on Friday, marking the state's first new conservancy in more than 15 years and a step the governor called a turning point for communities that have long borne the health and environmental consequences of the shrinking lake.

"For too long, communities around the Salton Sea have carried the burden of environmental challenges and neglect," Newsom said in a video statement. "Today, California is changing that."

Newsom recorded a video at the Salton Sea's north shore, during a visit to the area on Thursday, standing on ground that was once underwater. He pointed to the old yacht club visible behind him -- now stranded far from the waterline, as evidence of how dramatically the sea has receded.

"Forty-seven square miles of projects are planned projects around dust, projects around wildlife, projects around recreation, and getting the community connected back to this extraordinary part of the state of California," Newsom said.

The conservancy was established through Senate Bill 583, authored by Sen. Steve Padilla, and co-authored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. Newsom signed the bill into law in September 2024 after it passed both chambers unanimously. It is California's 11th conservancy.

The Salton Sea, California's largest inland body of water, has been shrinking for years as inflows have decreased. The receding shoreline exposes lakebed sediment containing arsenic and selenium, releasing fine dust particles that contribute to some of the worst air quality in the state. The Imperial Valley and eastern Coachella Valley, home to predominantly low-income Latino communities, have among the highest childhood asthma rates in California.

The conservancy's role will be to oversee long-term operation and maintenance of restoration projects already underway, including the state's flagship Species Conservation Habitat Project at the sea's southern end. That project began receiving water about a year ago, flooding roughly three square miles of restored habitat about four times the size of Disneyland and attracting thousands of fish and birds within months.

State officials say the full project footprint is now envisioned at 9,400 acres, which would make it one of the largest ecological restoration efforts in the country.

Since 2019, the Newsom administration has secured more than half a billion dollars in combined state and federal investment for Salton Sea restoration, including $250 million from the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said the conservancy will allow the state's lead agency to stay focused on building new projects while the conservancy manages completed ones.

Silvia Paz, executive director of Alianza Coachella Valley and a member of the conservancy's board, said the new body gives communities a real seat at the table after years of feeling left out.

"For too long, the communities most impacted by the Salton Sea's decline families dealing with air pollution, children with asthma, residents who have watched this sea shrink before their eyes have felt the weight of delayed action," Paz said.

The conservancy's board of directors will hold its first meeting on May 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the Imperial Irrigation District's La Quinta boardroom. The meeting will also be available online. Residents can sign up for updates through the Salton Sea Program's email list or contact mario.llanos@resources.ca.gov.

Padilla, whose district includes the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley, called the conservancy a long-overdue step.

"As the state tackles the enormous challenges at the Salton Sea, local representatives need to be at the table when project priorities and funding decisions are being made," Padilla said.