California lake Salton Sea lithium plans raise local concerns

The Salton Sea region holds large lithium reserves and companies are developing extraction projects while residents and environmental groups raise concerns about water use, air quality, and health. A 2024 lawsuit challenging Imperial County approvals was dismissed and that decision is currently under appeal.

The Salton Sea, a shrinking lake in Southern California, sits above one of the nation’s largest known lithium deposits. Companies and officials have promoted the area as a source of jobs and tax revenue and have adopted the name "Lithium Valley" for the region. Many residents and community groups welcome economic opportunities after years of local decline, but they also voice concern about environmental and health effects tied to extraction. The debate has prompted legal challenges and public scrutiny of county approvals. Key facts: - The region is believed to contain very large lithium reserves, and three companies are developing extraction projects; none have reached commercial production yet. - Local residents and environmental groups have raised concerns that extraction could strain scarce freshwater supplies, worsen air-quality problems linked to the shrinking lake, and affect community health. - Two nonprofits sued Imperial County in 2024 over its environmental review of one project; a judge dismissed the suit and that dismissal is currently under appeal. - California enacted a 2022 tax on extracted lithium that directs 80% of revenue to Imperial County and 20% to state restoration efforts, and at least one company has said it expects commercial extraction by 2028. Summary: Extraction is presented by proponents as a source of jobs and revenue for an economically challenged region, while opponents point to unresolved questions about water, air quality, and health impacts. The legal challenge to county approvals was dismissed and remains under appeal, and companies have set public timelines for potential commercial production. Undetermined at this time.