Blue-Ribbon Commission on lithium extraction completes its mission

IMPERIAL COUNTY – The Blue-Ribbon Commission on lithium extraction in California has been dissolved per a resolution by the California Energy Commission on Friday, February 17, after completing an equitably written final report.

The commission was established in January 2021 to address the issues and opportunities that come along with lithium extraction at the Salton Sea, including the impacts that developing this new resource would have on local communities.

As one of only two commission members who represent environmental justice interests, Comite Civico del Valle, Inc. Executive Director Luis Olmedo expressed satisfaction with the completion of the report on December 1, 2022, and the ending of the Blue-Ribbon Commission on February 17.

“Ultimately, we got what we wanted from the report — that the people were part of the process,” Olmedo said in a statement on February 24.

Olmedo went on to explain that representation came from all aspects of life, including businesses, policymakers, environmental justice, tribal, industry, and labor.

The commission had 14 appointed members, 6 of whom are based in Imperial County including Olmedo, Imperial County District 4 Supervisor Ryan Kelley, Controlled Thermal Resources CEO Rod Colwell, former Imperial Irrigation Board President Jim Hanks, Manfred Scott of the Quechan Indian Tribe, and Arthur Lopez of the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe.

In addition to the well-rounded nature of the commission, the commission held 28 public workshops to provide the commission a forum to discuss concerns from members of the general public, according to their final report.

On November 17, 2022, the commission finalized the report of the Blue-Ribbon Commission on lithium extraction in California and adopted 15 recommendations.

A few of the things included in the report include establishing a Lithium Valley priority permitting process, accelerating state planning for investment and upgrades in transmission for geothermal power plants, and establishing the Southeast California Economic Zone.

The reported also recommended that leaders support the development of a circular lithium economy based in California and provide resources for local and state agencies and tribes to proactively seek and leverage existing federal funding opportunities to invest in infrastructure.

“Will those recommendations carry weight? We can only hope. But this commission and this process did its job and served its function,” Olmedo said.