(Coachella, CA) —As Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on California’s Lithium Economy, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) commends the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analysis of Lithium Valley’s immense domestic mineral source potential as further urgency to continue investing in and developing the region’s geothermal and lithium opportunities. Assemblymember Garcia wants to carry momentum and see increased support for California’s lithium leadership and vision to achieve clean energy and electric vehicle goals while empowering the local community.
“This latest analysis reinforces our community-driven lithium vision and the direction we have taken in California to lead clean energy innovation and invest in the Lithium Valley region. Realizing the game-changing opportunities before us, we jumped into action, creating an equitable policy model to direct development, education, job training, and community engagement resources for lithium recovery efforts at the Salton Sea,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on California’s Lithium Economy. “We thank Governor Newsom and all our industry, education, labor, economic, tribal, environmental, and community partners who have collaborated with us as we accelerate our clean energy future while creating advancement opportunities for our underserved district.”
Assemblymember Garcia and the State of California’s lithium leadership include:
- In March 2023, Governor Newsom visited Lithium Valley, highlighting the region’s importance to the world’s clean energy future.
- Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s AB 1657 created the Blue Ribbon Commission on Lithium Extraction in California (Lithium Valley Commission) that brought industry experts together with community stakeholders to review, analyze, and report recommendations to advance lithium recovery in the Salton Sea region. The commission was mandated to submit a final report of findings to the California State Legislature. The December 2022 report recommendations included issues such as transmission planning, permitting improvements, infrastructure investments, economic incentives, and job training needs.
- Since 2017, California has awarded more than $27 million to nearly 20 research projects for relevant lithium innovations.
- $80 million secured to build a STEM facility at the Imperial Valley campus of San Diego State University to develop a local workforce pipeline.
- Passage of Lithium Extraction Tax Law ensuring that the community benefits from lithium industry and supports Salton Sea restoration.
- The state allocated $5 million to the County of Imperial in lithium support with $800,000 for community engagement.
- Over $500 million in state funding commitments made for Salton Sea improvement projects. Including a $200 million large-scale habitat restoration, dust suppression project that is near completion.
