Lithium Valley: Near the Salton Sea, residents want the federal government to address health concerns

Palm Springs Desert Sun - Erin Rode

Excerpt:

Granholm made two public stops near the Salton Sea on Wednesday with Ruiz, who had invited federal officials to visit the region amid growing state and federal interest in lithium extraction in Imperial Valley. The two officials led a morning community listening session in North Shore focused on public health near the Salton Sea, then traveled to Calipatria for a wide-ranging discussion with a group of over 30 community leaders and elected officials on public health, the potential economic impacts of lithium development, and workforce development and education.

In February, President Joe Biden said he’d asked Granholm to visit the region "and hear directly from local residents about how this will impact them." Biden has repeatedly stressed the importance of increasing domestic production of critical minerals and materials, such as lithium, to reduce the country’s dependence on importing these materials from other countries. 

“The energy security piece of things is so fundamental, and that this region could play an important role in making the United State’s clean energy independence is so very important,” Granholm said on Wednesday. 

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