A project aimed at restoring habitat surrounding the Salton Sea is expanding. The project, called the Species Habitat Conservation (SCH) Project, created a number of ponds and wetlands, which are important habitats for fish and birds. These wetlands also help reduce dust emissions, improving air quality surrounding the Salton Sea. The toxic dust that is
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The Imperial Irrigation District finalized a landmark conservation agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that will build 10-12 feet of elevation at Lake Mead and conserve up to 700,000 acre-feet of water for the Colorado River. IID officials added that the agreement also unlocks a full federal investment of $250 million in Salton Sea
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Things are moving fast in Lithium Valley, near the Salton Sea. If you drive along Highway 111 all the way down to the southern end of the Salton Sea, you’ll see your usual puffs of white steam, chugging up from the geothermal plants. But below those clouds, underneath these plants, some ground-breaking developments in the
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The Economic Development Administration selected the Lithium Valley Clean Tech Hub Consortium as one of its grant recipients for the tech hub program. The grant is $500,000. Several different federal agencies will soon be coming together to hash out the details for what the tech hub will look like. Valley Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz says
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A new sensor installed above the Salton Sea will help researchers study the sea’s impact on air quality in the Coachella Valley. Local non-profit “Alianza Coachella Valley” partnered with the East Valley community and academic institutions – -including UCLA — to deploy this air quality sensor directly above the water. The project is meant to
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Engineers are busy studying the soil near the Salton Sea. This is where they’re planning on transforming more than 150 acres into a modern nature habitat. “This is one of the biggest projects, probably the biggest project, the only project that we have initiated here in the north end of the lake which is in
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As California’s 2023 legislative session comes to a close, there are a number of bills relating to climate legislation which have passed and are awaiting the governor’s signature to become law. One of the bills which has been talked about the most is the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act. This bill would require corporations with
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Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz toured the Salton Sea area along with Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva. Grijalva is currently the ranking member of the House Committee of Natural Resources. The committee has jurisdiction over bodies of water and natural resources such as lithium. The Salton Sea alone has the estimated potential to provide 40 percent of
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For years, environmental and medical leaders have talked about the dangers of the Salton Sea drying up. The receding shoreline exposes toxic playa, creating harmful air quality that can spread to the surrounding Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley areas. But now, a new study from UC San Diego Scripps and San Diego State University is
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The Ford Motor Company and EnergySource Minerals (ESM) reached an agreement for lithium produced at facilities located at the Salton Sea. ESM will supply Ford with lithium hydroxide produced at ESM’s Project ATLiS™, located in Imperial Valley. Project ATLiS is expected to be operational in 2025, the company announced. As highlighted in News Channel 3
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The three Colorado River lower basin states, California, Arizona, and Nevada, have reached a landmark deal on water cuts to conserve water from the river amid continuing drought concerns. The U.S. Department of the Interior made the announcement in a press release today. The Colorado River system provides water to more than 40 million people
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Governor Gavin Newsom joined local leaders Monday morning for a visit to Imperial Valley. Newsom visited a Geothermal Plant near the beleaguered Salton Sea to get an update on progress being made toward lithium production. “We’re witnessing another moment in history with the creation of California Silicon Valley right here,” Newsom said. Watch his full
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A bill to establish a new state conservancy at the beleaguered Salton Sea was introduced in the California Senate on Wednesday by State Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego). Senate Bill 583 would manage projects to restore habitat, create recreational opportunities and minimize windblown dust in the lake, which is the largest in California. Check Out
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General Motors has awarded Audubon California a $500,000 grant to help support its work restoring the beleaguered Salton Sea. This Week: Bureau of Reclamation announces $250M federal investment at the Salton Sea The National Audubon Society is a non-profit that protects birds and their habitats. The organization has a California chapter that focuses on the
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Update 11/29/22: The Imperial Irrigation District board of directors voted 3-2 to unlock the first $22 million of the agreement. Original Report 11/28/22: The Department of Interior announced a historic agreement that will see a quarter of a billion dollars in funds go towards mitigating the impacts of the worsening drought crisis impacting the Salton
Continue Reading Congressman Raul Ruiz is calling on the U.S. Department of the Interior to uphold its commitments to the Salton Sea, including millions in federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. According to Ruiz’s office, the Inflation Reduction Act includes $4 billion in funding specifically for water management and conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin
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By JONATHAN J. COOPER AND KATHLEEN RONAYNE PHOENIX (AP) — California communities exposed to hazardous dust by a drying lake bed have found themselves at the center of tensions between Arizona and California over how to conserve water along the overtaxed Colorado River. U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat facing reelection, wants the federal
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A prayer vigil will be held on Monday, October 10 at 10:00 a.m. in Thermal to build support for the recovery of California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea. The event also marks Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It’s being hosted by the Desert Interfaith Council with EcoMedia Compass, Alianza and the city of Coachella. Numerous other community
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A massive dust storm slammed into the valley Thursday night, sending particles into the air that are dangerous to people’s health. The valley showed an Air Quality Index of 500 Friday, the maximum level, indicating hazardous conditions. Experts say the drying up Salton Sea only made the air worse to breathe. The wall of dust
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A new mandate on water conservation could have some major impacts on the already struggling Salton Sea. State officials have been busy in 2022, fulfilling a promise made long ago to create wetland habitat at the southern end of the lake. “It’s extremely encouraging to see that it’s already working, and we’re not even done
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