Supervisors approve more funds for delayed Lithium Valley plan
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved another increase to the contract for the Lithium Valley Specific Plan on Tuesday, July 1, adding more than $170,000 to the project’s budget as both costs and frustrations continue to climb. The board’s carrying vote brings the total contract amount to just over $3.2 million. … The project, funded through Senate Bill 125, includes the development of the Lithium Valley Specific Plan, a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report, and a supporting infrastructure assessment for the area surrounding the Salton Sea’s southern edge. State lawmakers approved $5 million for Imperial County in 2022 to help prepare for lithium and renewable energy development in the region. … In addition to the traffic modeling, Dudek completed a hydrogeological study earlier this year to evaluate groundwater availability and potential impacts from industrial development in the area.