Imperial, Riverside counties reach agreement on Salton Sea

EL CENTRO — Imperial and Riverside county officials are touting their respective approval of a memorandum of understanding pledging to work collaboratively on addressing Salton Sea restoration efforts.

On Tuesday, each county’s Board of Supervisors had approved the MOU that proposes their respective establishment of special districts to act as financing mechanisms designed to promote economic development around the sea.

The hoped-for economic development spurred by such a district, known as an “enhanced infrastructure financing district,” would also help fund restoration projects.

“This is a very important piece to be able to hold the state to a long-term solution,” said county Supervisor Ryan Kelley, who helped spearhead the historic MOU, during Tuesday’s board meeting.

The non-binding MOU also benefits from the support of stakeholders such as the Salton Sea Authority, Coachella Valley Water District, Torres Martinez Indian Tribe and the Imperial Irrigation District.

The MOU also lends its support to the concept of a “north lake” that would create a horseshoe-shaped lake within the ailing sea’s Riverside County jurisdiction.

The proposed north lake would be separated by a berm from the rest of the lake that lies in Imperial County.

Locally, the MOU had initially encountered some opposition from county Supervisors Mike Kelley and Luis Plancarte, who both expressed concerns that it appeared to benefit Riverside County at the expense of the Imperial County.

Both had also sought assurances that the MOU did not provide the state with an opportunity to neglect its pledges to primarily fund restoration efforts.

“I don’t think that giving Riverside County the authority to do what they want to do with the Salton Sea is in our best interest,” Kelley had said during Tuesday’s

meeting.

Plancarte had also stated that he was not in support of the establishment of another special district that would levy additional assessments on property owners.

“I’ve had it myself as a resident and supervisor with these districts and fees,” Plancarte said.

Both supervisors’ objections appeared to have caught Ryan Kelley by surprise. Further discussion and assurances had eventually coaxed Mike Kelley to vote in approval of the MOU. Plancarte ultimately cast the sole local vote against it.

The MOU also clarifies that the Salton Sea Authority would remain the lead agency as it relates to restoration decision-making at the ailing lake.

Attempts to have the board continue the matter to its next board meeting were also rebuffed out

of concerns that further delay of the MOU’s approval would likely hamper the board’s ability to establish the EIFD by year’s end.

The proposed EIFDs would also have the potential to issue bonds to further raise monies for restoration efforts, officials said.

The creation of such EIFDs remains a novel idea and not too many examples are currently in existence, said David Salgado, Southern California Association of Governments regional affairs officer.

The MOU does not formally establish the local formation of an EIFD, but proposes its further consideration, said Andy Horne, county deputy chief executive officer, on Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of work left to do to bring it back to you,” Horne said. “We have to establish a plan first.”