CA's New Salton Sea Conservancy To Address Health, Ecological Crisis

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new law that establishes the Salton Sea Conservancy, an initiative to quell a growing public health crisis that has worsened as the lake continues to shrink.

Among a flurry of newly signed bills by Newsom this week, AB 583 creates the state's first new conservancy in 15 years. The bill was authored by Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and Rep. Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella).

“This conservancy is a demonstration of the state’s commitment to meaningful and lasting restoration of this environmentally overburdened region,” Padilla said.

To restore the sea, the state has secured $250 million from the federal government for critical restoration in the Inflation Reduction Act and $60 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. If voters pass the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, it will be able to lock in another $170 million.

"We applaud the passage of SB 583 which is a real step forward in the State’s obligation to restore the Salton Sea and help local communities impacted by this worsening crisis," said Richard Miller, a chapter director for the Sierra Club in San Diego.

The crisis of the withering sea and its critical health impacts is one that community members have waited for decades to be addressed.

The Salton Sea, some 60 miles from Palm Springs, has suffered from declining water flow in recent years amid the impacts of climate change, including reduced agricultural runoff. The exposed lakebed has made dust emissions in the surrounding environment worse and the receding shoreline has reduced wildlife habitat.

A 2023 study, led by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, revealed that low-income immigrant and minority children are especially vulnerable the the Salton Sea's impact on chronic respiratory conditions.

Participants in that study described the Salton Sea as toxic, imposing sulfuric smells, dust storms, chemicals and fires which contribute to respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.

As many as three of every 10 people report having asthma in Brawley, Calipatria and Westmorland — communities near the Salton Sea, according to a 2019 report from UCS Today.

And researchers say the lake's shrinking is worsening air quality.

"We already have a vulnerable population here," Jill Johnston, an assistant professor of preventive medicine with the Keck School of Medicine of USC told the academic website. "What could be the effects of more pollution because of the shrinking sea? It’s a major concern, because there’s a lot of evidence that shows particulate matter is not good for you."