What’s at Stake?

The Salton Sea Region, also known as Lithium Valley, is attracting attention for its abundant lithium resources. Companies are eager to extract lithium from the area, investing heavily in projects to do so. One method gaining prominence is direct lithium extraction (DLE) from geothermal brines, which is seen as a more sustainable approach, particularly when paired with renewable energy sources like geothermal electricity.

Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR), a major player in Australian DLE technology, has received approval from the Imperial County Board of Supervisors to begin construction on a large-scale project. This project aims to transform a significant portion of the region into a lithium production hub. However, concerns have been raised about the project's potential environmental and community impacts, especially in relation to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Despite efforts by groups like Comite Civico del Valle (CCV) to engage in dialogue with CTR to address these concerns, there has been little response from either CTR or the local government. This lack of communication has left residents of the Imperial Valley feeling ignored and powerless. In response, CCV is considering legal action to challenge the project's approval and ensure that the voices of concerned residents are heard and respected.

Over the past two years, CCV has made multiple attempts to reach out to CTR in hopes of collaboratively addressing its concerns regarding the Hell's Kitchen project. Unfortunately, these e orts have been met with silence from CTR, leaving CCV's appeals unanswered.