White House Steps in to Move Salton Sea Projects Forward
Last updated 9/2/2016 at 4:31am
The White House has stepped forward in the fight to save the Salton Sea, a move designed to prove the federal government's commitment to save the Sea and the communities surrounding it.
According to a statement from the White House, Wednesday's announcements include:
A memorandum of understanding between the state and federal governments on the Salton Sea, designed to speed up projects that protect human health and the environment;
A "request for information" through which the federal government will explore whether it can buy between 100 and 250 megawatts of geothermal power from the Salton Sea area;
Possible funding from a nonprofit called the Water Funder Initiative, which has set a goal of providing $10 million over five years to support Salton Sea restoration.
Local agencies and state officials are working on Salton Sea mitigation plans, which mostly involve building artificial wetlands to suppress dust and improve ecology, however the real interest lies in the geothermal energy potential. The White House hopes to jump-start the process of restoration by buying geothermal energy from the various plants already in operation. The move could open up discussions for a multi-state agreement to use less Colorado River water.
