The Salton Sea region has long been a symbol of environmental neglect and community resilience. For decades, families in Imperial County have lived with worsening air quality, toxic dust exposure, and the health impacts that follow. Now, national attention is returning to our region as lithium extraction and “Lithium Valley” development gain momentum.
Undark’s recent reporting on clean energy development at the Salton Sea highlights both the promise and the complexity of this moment. The story underscores how the region could play a pivotal role in supplying lithium for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage, materials essential to the global clean energy transition.
But here in Imperial Valley, the conversation cannot stop at supply chains and economic projections. It must begin with people.
For our communities, the question is not whether clean energy matters. It does. The question is whether clean energy development will finally break from a history in which our region absorbed environmental harm without receiving maximum protection or lasting benefit.
At Comité Cívico del Valle, we believe development must center on environmental justice from the outset. That means:
-
Robust environmental review that thoroughly assesses impacts on air, water, and soil.
-
Enforceable community benefit agreements that ensure local hiring, workforce development, environmental mitigation, in addition to enhanced public safety and long-term economic investment for frontline communities.
-
Health protections first, with real mitigation for respiratory risks in a region already burdened by high asthma rates.
Clean energy should not replicate extractive models of the past. It must represent a new standard that protects public health while building economic opportunity.
Imperial County has contributed to California’s economy for generations, from agriculture to renewable energy production. If lithium extraction proceeds here, it must reflect a different model of development: transparent, accountable, and community-centered.
We are not opposed to clean energy. We are calling for clean energy done right.
The Salton Sea has the potential to become a model for responsible transition, where environmental protection and economic opportunity move forward together. But that outcome is not automatic. It requires intentional safeguards, strong oversight, and meaningful participation from the people who live here.
If this moment is to define a new chapter for our region, it must begin with one principle: Protect the people first. Then power the future.
Photo credit: Undark Magazine