Aquafornia

On Jan. 26, there was an opening ceremony at the Salton Sea for the construction of a big new plant to produce lithium. Presiding at the ceremony was John Podesta, who is the senior adviser to President Biden in implementing the $375 billion Clean Energy and climate change bill that was part of the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022. It was Podesta who worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to speed up the environmental review for the lithium plant. But at the same time, the Army Corps has recently announced that it is postponing a restoration plan for the Salton Sea until 2030 or 2032. Many are saying that the method of extracting lithium at the Salton Sea is less damaging to the environment than traditional open pit mining and evaporation ponds.
-Written by Chuck Parker, a Coachella Valley resident who has been active in the Salton Sea Coalition since 2018.

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Thirteen early to mid-career water professionals from across the West have been chosen to participate in the Water Education Foundation’s 2024 Colorado River Water Leaders cohort. Like our California Water Leaders program, the Colorado River Water Leaders cohort includes engineers, lawyers, resource specialists, scientists and others working for public, private and nongovernmental organizations from across the river’s basin in the United States and Mexico. The 2024 cohort roster can be found here. The Water Leader programs, led by Foundation Executive Director Jenn Bowles, deepen knowledge of water issues, enhance individual leadership skills and prepare participants to take an active, cooperative approach to decision-making about water resource issues. Leading experts and top policymakers serve as mentors to cohort members.

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