The California Assembly recently passed Senate Bill 583, co-authored by Sen. Steve Padilla and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, which will accelerate efforts to restore the Salton Sea. Padilla believes this bill is much-needed and will have a major impact on helping the Salton Sea community.
"The deterioration of the Salton Sea is one of the worst environmental disasters in California history," Padilla said. "Generations of working families have already suffered the consequences of California’s failure to address the harm the Sea inflicts on these historically underserved and overlooked communities. A Conservancy empowers those living with this reality and gives them a meaningful voice as we manage limited resources to best help remediate this public health crisis. These communities cannot afford more delay."
According to a press release from Padilla's office, Senate Bill 583 would create the Salton Sea Conservancy, which would unify all of the state’s efforts to conserve and protect the Salton Sea and its surrounding communities. It would protect the health of Salton Sea residents, foster ecological recovery in the area, and empower local stakeholders. All projects and efforts to conserve and restore the shrinking sea would be coordinated by the Salton Sea Conservancy.
In the press release, Garcia said that this legislation will go a long way in helping the long-term health and sustainability of the region. Padilla added on by saying that they are currently negotiating with Gov. Gavin Newsom to fund this project as soon as possible, hoping that it can be finalized early next year.
According to the Salton Sea Conservancy, the Salton Sea was accidentally created in the early 1900s due to an engineering error, making it California’s largest inland lake with a surface area of around 343 square miles. It was a popular tourist destination in the 1950s and 1960s, but over the last several decades, the sea has been shrinking significantly. This water recession has created an environmental disaster, killing wildlife due to the saltiness of the water. Humans in the area are also being affected as the drying lake bed releases massive amounts of dust into the air, causing a high frequency of respiratory illnesses.
Senate Bill 583 passed the California Assembly with bipartisan support, receiving a 68-0 vote.
Padilla represents the 18th Senate District, which includes the communities of Chula Vista, the Coachella Valley, Imperial Beach, the Imperial Valley, National City, and San Diego. Garcia represents California State Assembly District 36, which includes parts of the Coachella Valley.