A local renewable energy and critical minerals company is poised to go public through a merger with a New York-based special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, in a move aimed at bolstering U.S. energy security and domestic supply chains for electric vehicles and advanced technologies, according to a CTR press release. … If completed, the business combination would list the combined company on a major U.S. stock exchange, providing capital to accelerate development of ACR’s flagship Hell’s Kitchen project at the Salton Sea. … Imperial County officials and residents have long seen the Salton Sea region — dubbed “Lithium Valley” — as a potential economic boon, bringing jobs and revenue while addressing environmental challenges around the shrinking sea.