US Secretary of Energy visits Salton Sea to hear about environmental impacts

Congressman Ruiz brings U.S. Secretary of Energy Granholm to visit the Salton Sea to listen to the local community about their firsthand experiences with the public health and how extracting lithium may affect them.

SALTON SEA, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Congressman Raul Ruiz invited the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm to visit the Imperial Valley for the first time today, specifically the Salton Sea to showcase the potential of the region to unlock clean energy sources with the lithium extraction and to hear the community's feedback.

Congressman Ruiz wanted Secretary Granholm to witness firsthand what the Imperial Valley needs and what it is capable of.

The meeting wasn't about action or discussion just yet.

It was a listening session with community members and leaders to share their thoughts and voice their concerns about the transition to a clean energy future with the lithium deposit underneath the Salton Sea.

The listening session also covered how it may affect the health issues they are already experiencing.

Secretary Granholm says the first step is to understand what the community's concerns are about extracting lithium from the Salton Sea and agrees with community members on making sure it is done the right way because this is a shared benefit.

"You can't imagine how this electric future will happen unless you're in touch with the people who will be hopefully doing the work but also experiencing the impact of lithium extraction from the Salton Sea," said Granholm.

Locals in the community, especially those who live closer to the Salton Sea believe this is a great opportunity for the Imperial Valley but want to make sure their health is a top priority.

Congressman Ruiz says the community's already experiencing negative health side effects from the receding of the Salton Sea.

"They're breathing in the dust. We have the highest pediatric asthma hospitalization rate in the whole state of California and Imperial County and the northern aspect of the Salton Sea and Riverside County," said Ruiz.

Ruiz says locals are rightfully concerned about bringing in private industries, extracting lithium and wondering what that means in terms of waste and battery production to their environmental health.

One North Shore resident, Patricia Leal-Gutierrez said unfortunately their community already has public health issues particularly because the Salton Sea continues to shrink. She shared some of the health issues are nose bleeds, asthma and respiratory health illnesses.

This is why she wants whatever happens next to not make the situation worse.

"When we think about lithium, it's a new process so of course. There's a lot of question, there's a lot of doubt, there's a lot of skepticism from the community, from me in regards to really understanding not only the process but what are the added layers in regards to public health? What is going to be the process in ensuring that our health continues to be prioritized knowing that it hasn't in the past," said Leal-Gutierrez.

Leal-Gutierrez says right now the hospital and public health infrastructure in North Shore is non-existent and think the federal government could help fix this.

Secretary Granholm says what stuck with her most were the moms worried about their children's health and safety.

"They want to know what's going to happen to my kids who have asthma, will we be remediating some of this as we pursue this opportunity, you know, what's the future for them," said Granholm.

Congressman Ruiz believes this form of lithium extraction is the cleanest and safest way.

"Because it is a byproduct of geothermal energy, there is no breaking dirt, there is no demolishing mountains in order to get the lithium. It's happening already through brine," said Congressman Ruiz.

Ruiz says both the Secretary and the entire Biden administration are focused on having meaningful conversations with the local community, so there is no future plan without their input.

Secretary Granholm says she will take back to the White House the importance of health impacts, as well as the economic possibilities in partnership with the community in the Imperial Valley.