OKAY GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE
AND WELCOME TO THE UTILITIES AND
ENERGY. COMMITTEE HEARING. IT IS
A JOINT HEARING WITH THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON CALIFORNIA'S
LITHIUM ECONOMY, WANT TO WELCOME
EVERYONE TO THE CAPITAL? WE'LL
CALL THIS JOINT HEARING IN
OCTOBER ORDER AND RECOGNIZE THAT
OUR COLLEAGUES ARE HERE. THEY
WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY FEW
WORDS IN A MINUTE. THIS IS THE
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE AND UTILITIES
ENERGY AND SELECT COMMITTEE IN
CALIFORNIA. LITHIUM ECONOMY.
WE'RE HERE FOR AN INFORMATIONAL
HEARING TO DISCUSS THE REPORT OF
THE LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION.
BEFORE WE BEGIN. I HAVE SOME
HOUSEKEEPING TO GO OVER. THERE
WILL BE NO PHONE TESTIMONY, SO
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE EITHER IN
PERSON OR SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL
AND THAT EMAIL IS ON OUR
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE.
ADDITIONALLY I WILL MAINTAIN THE
CORUM DURING THE HEARING AS
CUSTOMARY AND SO WE CAN JUST
STAY FOCUSED ON THE CONVERSATION
THAT IS IN FRONT OF US. A FEW
WORDS HERE. GLOBAL LITHIUM
DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO GROW OVER
THE NEXT DECADE. DRIVEN LARGELY
BY INCREASING DEMAND FOR LITHIUM
ION BATTERIES AND ELECTRIC
VEHICLES AND ENERGY STORAGE IN
THE ELECTRIC SECTOR. HOWEVER
DOMESTIC SUPPLIES OF LITHIUM ARE
SPARSE, WITH THE MAJORITY OF
GLOBAL PRODUCTION ARISING FROM
CHILE, AUSTRALIA. ARGENTINA AND
CHINA. DESPITE THIS DEFICIT, THE
SALTON SEA GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE
AREA. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS LITHIUM
VALLEY IS HOME TO THE LARGEST
LITHIUM DEPOSIT IN NORTH
AMERICA. GIVEN THIS UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY. THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN
2020 TO EXPLORE THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
SURROUNDING LITHIUM RECOVERY
FROM GEOTHERMAL BRINES AROUND
THE SEAT. IN DECEMBER, 2022. THE
COMMISSION SUBMITTED A REPORT TO
THE LEGISLATURE ON FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT IS
NEEDED TO BUILD CALIFORNIA'S
LITHIUM INDUSTRY. AS SUCH, THE
PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO
UNDERSTAND THE FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS REPORT
AND THE MYRIAD OF OPPORTUNITIES
AND CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH
BUILDING A DOMESTIC LITHIUM
SUPPLY CHAIN. THIS DISCUSSION
TODAY WILL ALSO BE CENTERED ON
UPDATES OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE
EFFORTS TO BUILD THIS EMERGING
INDUSTRY TO REDUCE THE UNITED
STATES RELIANCE ON FOREIGN
LITHIUM SUPPLIERS. ADDITIONALLY
WE WILL HEAR UPDATES FROM
LITHIUM DEVELOPERS ON THEIR
PROJECTS. DESPITE THIS MOMENTUM
AT THE CENTER OF THESE
UNDERTAKINGS IS A COMMUNITY THAT
WANTS TO ENSURE THIS EMERGING
INDUSTRY WERE NOT DEVELOPED AT
THE EXPENSE OF THEIR PUBLIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. WITH THAT
I TURNED TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE
IF ANYONE HAS ANY OPENING
REMARKS. OKAY? PLEASE. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS
COMMITTEE INFORMATIONAL HEARING
TOGETHER AND THANK YOU TO THE
STAFF FOR THE WORK THEY DID TO
PREPARE. OFTEN TIMES WE TALKED
ABOUT JOBS, CLEAN ENERGY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN
OUR UTILITIES AND ENERGY
COMMITTEE. UM AND NOW WITH THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION WE
KNOW THAT THAT'S THEY HAVE A
NEXUS TO ALL THREE. LITHIUM
VALLEY COULD BE ONE OF THE
STATE'S MOST IMPORTANT ENERGY
PROJECTS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY
DUE TO THE ENERGY POTENTIAL THAT
EXISTS. IN ITS GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
, THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IT CAN
PROVIDE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND
THE CRITICAL LITHIUM IT CAN
PRODUCE FOR BATTERY DEVELOPMENT
. WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED
HISTORIC LEVELS OF LITHIUM IF
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD OUT THE
BATTERY CAPACITY TO MEET OUR
ZERO EMISSION, ENERGY AND
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. I WANT US
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING OUR
GOALS, BUT WE HAVE TO ENSURE
THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AS
YOU HAVE MENTIONED MR CHAIR.
MAKE SURE THAT OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES DON'T SUFFER ANY
POTENTIAL NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS AND THAT THEY RECEIVED
THE POSITIVE ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
AND I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE
TRUST PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO
PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AND
PROTECT THE COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC
BENEFIT FROM FROM THIS THIS
PROJECT, AS ALWAYS, I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY THAT
WILL BE PRESENTED. THANK YOU. MR
CARNEY. THANK YOU. CHAIR WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR CONVENING THIS
HEARING AND ALSO WITHIN THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS, ACTUALLY
BRINGING A GROUP OF US DOWN TO
LITHIUM VALLEY TO CHECK IT OUT
FIRST HAND IT WAS EYE OPENING. I
WAS ALSO VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE
SALT AND SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME
KIND OF A BUCKET LIST EVENT AS
WELL. UM WHAT DID UNDERSCORE,
THOUGH, IS THIS IS A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME OF OUR
GOALS AROUND. HOW ARE WE GOING
TO GET TOWARD 100% 0 EMISSION
VEHICLES BY 2035. HOW ARE WE
GOING TO MEET OUR CLIMATE?
OBJECTIVES BY 2030 2045. THAT
HAVING BEEN SAID SEEN IT
FIRSTHAND, REALLY UNDERSCORED
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
AND BEAUTY IN THAT AREA. THAT
CERTAINLY HAS TO STAY AT MOST IN
OUR MINDS AS WE UNDERTAKE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
AROUND THIS TOPIC. AND THE
VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, MANY OF
WHICH HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY
UNDERSERVED, UH IN THE COACHELLA
BOWIE. AH AND BYRON'S AND HOW
THEY HAVE TO BE FRONT AND
CENTER. AT THE TABLE, INCLUDING
OUR TRIBES. SO WITH THAT I ALSO
APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE
COMMISSION THAT PUT TOGETHER
THIS REPORT. AND VERY MUCH LOOK
FORWARD TO THE HEARING TODAY AS
WELL. THANK YOU, MR CONNELLY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM MANY OF
OUR COLLEAGUES? SAYING NONE.
I'LL ASK ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO WILL BE PROVIDING, UM,
TESTIMONY AND OR UM TO PLEASE
COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. WE
WILL, UM FOLLOW THE AGENDA. AS
SET UP, STARTING WITH MS SILVIA
POWERS, WHO UM, SERVED AS THE
CHAIR OF LITHIUM VALLEY.
FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN BOYD,
REPRESENTING CRITICAL MINERALS
OFFICE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY. WE DO HAVE MISS NAOMI
GEHAD LOW HERE IN PERSON. AS
WELL. SUPERVISOR RYAN KELLY FROM
IMPERIAL COUNTY WHO WILL MHM
UNDOUBTEDLY REMIND US THAT
LITHIUM VALLEY IS IMPERIAL
VALLEY. AND, UH, WE HAVE
FOLLOWED THEIR MR O MEADOW. UM
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMING
TO SEE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY
ALICIA NAP. CEO OF BERKSHIRE
HATHAWAY ENERGY. AND UH, LAST,
BUT NOT LEAST, VINCE, UH, WHO
WILL BE REPRESENTING ENERGY
SOURCE MINERALS, SO WELCOME
EVERYONE AND WE'LL BEGIN. WHEN
YOU'RE READY WITH YOUR
TESTIMONY. WE WILL RESERVE
QUESTIONS. UM AT THE END OF THE
LAST PERSON WHO TESTIFIES THANK
YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, CHAIR
GARCIA. I AM SYLVIA PASS. I AM
THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ALLEANZA COACHELLA
VALLEY. AND I ALSO HAVE THE
DISTINCT PLEASURE OF BEING THE
CHAIR FOR THE LEADING MALLEY
COMMISSION. TODAY I'M GOING TO
FORMALLY BE PRESENTING SOME OF
THE FINDINGS. UM THAT ARE IN THE
REPORT. AND UPLIFTING THE
HIGHLIGHTS THAT WERE IMPORTANT
FOR THE PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL. UM BUT BEFORE I DO THAT I
DO WANT TO START BY ANSWERING
ONE QUESTION THAT KEPT COMING UP
DURING OUR LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION MEETINGS, AND THAT
WAS WHETHER THE COMMISSION WOULD
TAKE A YES OR NO POSITION ON
LITHIUM, ADVANCING. THAT WAS NOT
THE INTENT OF THE LEADING VALLEY
COMMISSION. AND THAT IS VERY
CLEAR WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
TIMELINE OF WHAT PRECEDED THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMISSION
BEFORE THE COMMISSION WAS
ESTABLISHED, GOING BACK AS FAR
AS 2015 OR EARLIER, THERE'S BEEN
INTEREST FROM THE STATE AND
OTHERS TO EXPLORE THE EXTRACTION
OF LITHIUM AT THE SALTON SEA
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES AREA. SINCE
2018. THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY
COMMISSION HELD MEETINGS ON THE
TOPIC AND MADE SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT. AND IN 2020, THERE
WAS LEGISLATIVE AND BUDGET
BUDGET ACTIONS. TO DEVELOP ELITE
IN VALLEY VISION. WITH THIS
TIMELINE, THE STATE IDENTIFIED
LITHIUM AS A KEY COMPONENT TO
ACHIEVE CALIFORNIANS CLEAN
ENERGY FUTURE. THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIED LITHIUM AS
CRITICAL FOR NATIONAL SECURITY,
AND MANY HAVE SEEN THE
OPPORTUNITY WITH POTENTIAL TO
UNLEASH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
NEW ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT IN CALIFORNIA. AND
THEN CAME A B 16 57, AND IT MADE
THE COMMISSION WAS EFFECTIVE
JANUARY 20 2021 IT WAS COMPOSED
OF 14 REPRESENTATIVES ACROSS
LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS,
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GROUPS,
GOVERNMENT TRIBES AND INDUSTRY
AND WE WERE TASKED TO REVIEW
INVESTIGATE, ANALYZE THE
SPECIFIC TOPICS RELATING TO
LITHIUM EXTRACTION IN CALIFORNIA
AND SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE DOCUMENTING ITS
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED
DECEMBER OF 2022. AFTER
ANALYZING AND DISCUSSING EACH OF
THE TOPICS OVER THE COURSE OF
OVER 23 PUBLIC MEETINGS HEARING
FROM EXPERTS, INCLUDING
ACADEMICS, INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT
, TRIBES AND COMMUNITY
RESIDENTS. WITHIN THIS CONTEXT,
THEN THE REPORT OFFERS THE
LEGISLATURE RANGE OF ISSUES TO
CONSIDER AS THE STATE PURSUES
THIS ENDEAVOR AND 15
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGES NOTED BY INDUSTRY,
TRIBES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
COMMUNITIES. SO FOR THE INTEREST
OF TIME, I WILL, UM OFFERED
THREE KEY HIGHLIGHTS, UM, FROM
THE REPORT. AS I KNOW THAT THE
OTHER PANELISTS WILL BE ABLE TO
TELL YOU THE STATUS OF MANY OF
THE PROJECTS SINCE THE
SUBMISSION OF THE REPORT. SO
TAKE AWAY NUMBER ONE AS CHAIRMAN
GARCIA MENTIONED AND I THINK
VICE CHAIR BRIAN KELLY WILL
AGREE. LITHIUM VALLEY EQUALS
IMPERIAL VALLEY. WHY IS THIS
IMPORTANT WHILE THE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LITHIUM AND
LITHIUM VALLEY VISION STARTED
BEFORE THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED TO
DESCRIBE. A WORLD CLASS LITHIUM
INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA, CENTERED
ON THE RECOVERY OF LITHIUM FROM
GEOTHERMAL BRENNAN, THE SULTAN
SEA REGION. IT BECAME VERY
IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH THAT TO
DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY IT NEEDED
TO BE CENTERED IN THE
COMMUNITIES IN IMPERIAL COUNTY.
SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE
REPORT MAKES REALLY FOCUSES ON
PREPARING THE REGION TO BE ABLE
TO CREATE AN INDUSTRY OF THIS
MAGNITUDE THAT GOES BEYOND THE
EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM ONLY. SO
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
INCLUDE ACCELERATING
TRANSMISSION PLANNING AND BUILD
OUT IN THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION
DISTRICT SERVICE AREA TARGETED
INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE
FROM ROADS TO BROADBAND TO POWER
POLES TO SUPPORT AND INCENTIVIZE
ECONOMIC GROWTH. AND PLANNING
FOR THE CO LOCATION OF LITHIUM
SUPPLY CHAIN COMPONENTS, WHICH
WILL HELP THIS REGION CAPTURED
THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THIS
NEW INDUSTRY AND NOT LET IT
BECOME SOLELY AN EXTRACTIVE
ECONOMY AND IMPERIAL VALLEY. KEY
TAKEAWAY NUMBER TWO IS TO
RECOGNIZE THE SALTON SEA REGION
AS ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMIC
REGIONS. CURRENTLY THE
CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY TALKS ABOUT 13 ECONOMIC
REGIONS IN THE STATE. AND IT
SEPARATES THE SALTON SEA REGION
, WHICH WE SEE AS BEING
INCLUSIVE OF IMPERIAL VALLEY
BELOW VERDE VALLEY AND THE
COACHELLA VALLEY INTO TWO
REGIONS, ONE OF THEM IN THE
INLAND EMPIRE REGION, THE OTHER
ONE IN THE SOUTHERN BORDER
REGION. WE HAVE SEEN THAT WHEN
THIS HAPPENS, IT BECOMES VERY
DIFFICULT FOR THE SULTAN SEE.
COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE SURROUNDED WITH BY THE
LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
FROM ADDRESSING THE
ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING
THEIR COMMUNITIES. THESE ISSUES
ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE
REGIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE
CURRENTLY PAIRED, SO THEY GET
DILUTED. SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS
IN THE REPORT DO TALK ABOUT
ESTABLISHING THE SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC ZONE. THAT
WOULD INCLUDE AGAIN THE
COACHELLA VALLEY, IMPERIAL
VALLEY AND GALLAGHER, THE VALLEY
AND IT ALSO SPENT SOME TIME
DISCUSSING NEEDED INVESTMENTS TO
ENHANCE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY IN
STEM AND GREEN JOBS. FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIVE IN THIS
REGION. AND KEY TAKEAWAY NUMBER
THREE. IT'S THE ATTEMPT AND
DESIRE TO REDUCE, MITIGATE AND
ELIMINATE RISK FOR INDUSTRY IT
THIS COMES IN THE FORM OF AN
EXPERIENCE AND CLEAR PERMITTING
PROCESS. FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, A
CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE
BUILD OUT OF A LITHIUM MINISTER
WILL MEAN FOR HIGHER TRAFFIC AND
ASSOCIATED AIR POLLUTION AS WELL
AS WATER USE AND QUALITY. AND
THERE ARE SEVERAL EFFORTS TO
HELP US DO THIS. AND THE COUNTY
IMPERIAL COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS
GOING THROUGH THE
PROGRAMMATICALLY IR WHICH WILL
HOPEFULLY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE
MORE CUMULATIVE IMPACT VERSUS
SEEING IT PROJECT BY PROJECT AND
THERE IS ALSO SOME ONGOING
RESEARCH UNDER THE LAWRENCE
BERKELEY LAB. UM, FOR THE
COMMUNITY. REDUCING AND
MITIGATING OR ELIMINATING RISK
COMES IN THE FORM OF A PARROT,
UM GUARANTEED COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMIC BENEFITS, WHETHER THAT
IS LOCAL WORKFORCE AGREEMENTS,
COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS, OR
RATHER AND ALSO PROTECTION OF
HEALTH. SO WHILE I DID MENTION
TO EFFORTS THAT WILL GIVE US AN
IDEA OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS COULD BE. WE WOULD STILL
NEED TO TRANSLATE WHAT THESE
POTENTIAL IMPACTS MEAN TO PUBLIC
HEALTH. SO TO CONCLUDE IT'S BEEN
WORTHWHILE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO
THINK OF THE VARIOUS ASPECTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A LITHIUM INDUSTRY CENTERED
IN EQUITY. AND I'M HAPPY TO
PRESENT THESE FOR YOUR ONGOING
CONSIDERATION AS THE STATE
PURSUES A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SERVING. ON THE COMMISSION AS
THE CHAIR. UM WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE VOLUMES OF
COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE THAT WAS
BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. AND SO IF
WE HAVEN'T SAID IT BEFORE WORD
SAYING IT PUBLICLY THANK YOU
AGAIN. WE WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT PRESENTER WHO WILL BE DOING
SO REMOTELY. STEPHEN BOYD IS THE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
BATTERIES AND CRITICAL MINERALS
IN THE OFFICE OF MANUFACTURING
AND ENERGY SUPPLY CHAINS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. SO
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EVERYONE
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE INVITED TO
HEAR. I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS BRIEF
, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU
KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REPRESENT DEWEY'S INTERESTS HERE
IN OUR OFFICE OF MANUFACTURING
ENERGY SUPPLY CHAINS WERE
STRENGTHENING AND SECURING
MANUFACTURING AND ENERGY SUPPLY
CHAINS NEEDED TO MODERNIZE THE
NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SUPPORT CLEAN AND EQUITABLE
ENERGY. TRANSITION FOR OUR
COUNTRY WERE ALSO INTERESTED IN
CATALYZING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ENERGY SECTOR INDUSTRIAL BASE.
THROUGH TARGETED INVESTMENTS
ESTABLISHED AND SECURE DOMESTIC
CLEAN ENERGY SUPPLY CHAINS AND
MANUFACTURING. DO WE APPRECIATE
THE REPORT MENTIONED HERE OF THE
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON
LITHIUM INSTRUCTION IN
CALIFORNIA WE'VE READ AND, UH
FULLY DIGESTED THIS REPORT, AND
WE CERTAINLY LEVERAGED THIS AS
WELL. IN TERMS OF OUR ANALYSIS
OF STRATEGIC. RESOURCES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND IN PARTICULAR
THE IMPORTANCE OF LITHIUM IN
THIS REGION, PROVIDING PROVIDING
THAT TWO BATTERIES. AND I'LL
JUST UNDERLINE THE WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE POTENTIAL
IMPORTANCE OF LITHIUM SUPPLY
THAT THIS REGION COULD PROVIDE.
UM ARE WE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM
FROM OUR OFFICE AND FROM
ACTUALLY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
AS WELL AND WE DID VISIT THE
AREA, ALONG WITH SOME SUPPORT
FROM FROM FOLKS HERE, AND WE
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE TIME WE
SPENT WITH WITH FOLKS GETTING TO
KNOW THE AREA AND BETTER
UNDERSTANDING. THE YOU KNOW THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS REGION AND
HOW IT CAN CAN PROVIDE A SUPPLY
OF LITHIUM AS WELL AS OTHER
MINERALS AND MATERIALS AND HOW
THAT'S IMPORTANT. UM YOU KNOW,
BOTH IN TERMS OF IMPACTS FOR
BATTERIES, AS WELL AS LOCALLY
AND STRATEGICALLY TO OUR
COUNTRY. DO. WE IS VERY
INTERESTED IN PROVIDING THESE
SORT OF BATTERY SUPPLY CHAINS
AND PARTICULAR FOR LITHIUM FOR
LITHIUM ION AND LITHIUM METAL
TYPES OF BATTERIES. THIS HAS
BEEN A WELL RECOGNIZED IN TERMS
OF OUR WORK WITH THE FEDERAL
CONSORTIUM ON ADVANCED
BATTERIES, WHICH LEADS BUT ALSO
AS PARTICIPATION FROM 18 OTHER
FEDERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING
THOSE IN DUTY EPA AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THEY ALSO WANT TO POINT FOLKS TO
SOME OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN
RELEASED FROM THE DEWEY LED
FEDERAL CONSORTIUM ON IT. BEN
BATTERIES, INCLUDING THE
NATIONAL BLUEPRINT FOR LITHIUM
BATTERIES, WHICH UNDERSCORES
SOME OF OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES
IN TERMS OF BUILDING AND THE
SUPPLY CHAINS FOR LITHIUM
BATTERIES. AND HOW THOSE COULD
AFFECT NOT ONLY THINGS LIKE
VEHICLES AND CLEAN ENERGY, BUT
ALSO HELP TO PROVIDE FOR A
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE IN OTHER
AREAS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD
LIKE TO SUPPORT. FINALLY JUST
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT DO WE
CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR
BUILDING OUT SUPPLY CHAINS FOR
BATTERY MATERIALS, INCLUDING
LITHIUM. UM WE'VE EXECUTED A ONE
ROUND OF FUNDING FROM THE
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW
UNDER SECTION 40 TO 07. FOR
BATTERY MATERIALS PROCESSING, AS
WELL AS BATTERY MANUFACTURING.
AND WE HAVE PLANS TO CONTINUE
EXECUTING ON THOSE SECTIONS OF
THE BILL IN TERMS OF PROVIDING
FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. UM
FOR THE SUPPLY OF MATERIALS THAT
CAN HELP US MEET OUR GOALS FOR
THAT WE SET OUT IN THOSE, UM
THOSE REPORTS I MENTIONED AS
WELL AS THE SORT OF STRATEGIC
IMPORTANCE OF SUPPLY CHAINS. UM
THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY AND I'LL BE HERE
FOR THE CHANNEL. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH WILL WILL WANT TO OUR NEXT
PRESENTER. THAT'S AND I OWE ME
GALLARDO, THE NEED COMMISSIONER
FOR LITHIUM VALLEY FOR THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION.
WHEN I STARTED AFTERNOON CHAIR
GARCIA AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE REALLY EXCITED TO
BE HERE. THIS IS MY FIRST
HEARING AS A COMMISSIONER, UM I
AM NO AMIGA YARD. OH I AM THE
NEWEST COMMISSIONER AT THE
ENERGY COMMISSION. ALSO BECAUSE
I KNOW YOU VALUE DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION AND THE FIRST LATINA
COMMISSIONER, AND EVEN THOUGH
I'M NEW, I ALREADY HAVE A VERY
ROBUST POLYP POLICY PORTFOLIO.
ONE OF THE PRIORITY AREAS IS THE
LITHIUM VALLEY VISION. IT'S A
PRIORITY FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE
COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A PARTY FOR
THE ENERGY COMMISSION, AND WE DO
SEE IT AS VITAL TO ACHIEVING OUR
MISSION OF LEADING THE STATE TO
A 100% CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. WE
WERE ALSO VERY EXCITED BECAUSE
OF IT BEING A PRIORITY TO
SUPPORT THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO
MEET. ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS
WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM
DID VISITS WITH THEM, AND I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
WORK WITH THIS GREAT GROUP OF
PEOPLE. SO I'M HERE TO PROVIDE
UPDATES FROM THE ENERGY
COMMISSION PERSPECTIVE AND I DID
DO A POWER POINT, WHICH I
BELIEVE IS BEHIND ME. GREAT UH,
AND ONE OF THE FIRST UPDATES I
WANTED TO TELL YOU ABOUT IS I
WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SECURE CHIEF
OF STAFF AND HE WAS REALLY WORTH
WAITING FOR. HE HAS 15 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WORKING AT THE ENERGY
COMMISSION IN OUR RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, WHICH I
THINK WILL BE VERY VALUABLE FOR
OUR LITHIUM VALLEY WORK. HIS
NAME IS ERIC STOKES. HE'S HERE
WITH ME TODAY IN THE FIRST ROW.
READY TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS
IN CASE WE GET INTO THE WEEDS OF
THE TYPE OF INFORMATION HE'LL
HAVE ACCESS TO AND HE WILL BE
THE LEAD ADVISOR FOR ME ON
LITHIUM VALLEY, SO WE'LL GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE. AH JUST FOCUSING
ON THE ROLE OF THE ENERGY
COMMISSION IN THE LITHIUM VALLEY
VISION. I SUMMARIZED IT HERE IN
REALLY FOUR AREAS OF ACTION,
WHICH IS TO CONVENE PARTNERS.
INVEST RESOURCES, ATTRACT
SUPPORT AND LOCALIZED BENEFITS.
UM, I'LL GO INTO EACH OF THESE.
WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF
SUMMARIZE IT, AND IT'S NOT A
MARKETING CAMPAIGN, SO THERE'S
NO CLEVER ACRONYM OR ANYTHING
THERE. UM SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE,
I'M FOCUSED HERE ON CONVENING
OUR STATE PARTNERS OF WE HAVE
BEEN DOING A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT,
UM, SINCE BEFORE THE LITHIUM
VALLEY COMMISSION AND, UM, YOU
KNOW, DURING THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION, AND, UM AND
BASICALLY IT'S BEEN MORE ONE ON
ONE CHECK INS AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST SEEING WHAT EACH OTHER IS
DOING IN TERMS OF THE STATE
AGENCIES. WE'VE DONE JOINT
VISITS TO THE SALTON SEA AREA.
I'M PART OF A SALTON SEA
COORDINATION. AND UM, GROUP WITH
THE C N R A AND ALL OF ITS
DEPARTMENTS THAT'S MOSTLY
FOCUSED ON ENSURING WE'RE NOT
OVER BUT BURDENING THE COMMUNITY
WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR ENGAGEMENT
OUT THERE, SO WE TALK A LOT
ABOUT THAT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY WITH JOB IS WE PUT
TOGETHER FOR EXAMPLE, A CRITICAL
MINERALS IN CALIFORNIA
CONFERENCE BACK IN JANUARY, UH
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, HELP SUPPORT
THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT IN APRIL.
SO DOING A LOT OF WORK THERE,
BUT WHAT I THINK IS MISSING IS
THE CONVENING AND CONSISTENT
COMMUNICATION OF THE STATE
PARTNERS. AND SO THAT'S AN AREA
WHERE WE THINK ENERGY COMMISSION
CAN PLAY A ROLE AS CONVENER,
HAVING MONTHLY MEETINGS SO THAT
WE COULD BETTER ORGANIZE OUR
WORK. WE CAN COORDINATE THAT
ENGAGEMENT. WE CAN ALIGN
RESOURCES DECIPHER WHICH OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE LITHIUM
VALLEY COMMISSION PUT OUT? WE
CAN EACH TAKE ON BECAUSE THE
ENERGY COMMISSION CAN'T DO IT
ALONE. AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE
STATE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY VALUABLE AND WE SEE
THEM BEING, UM VITAL, MOVING
FORWARD, REMOVING ANY BARRIERS
THAT COME UP SO SOME OF THE
AGENCIES ARE WORKING MORE
DIRECTLY LIKE WE ARE, UM, GO
BUSINESS, AN EXAMPLE. AND THERE
ARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE MORE
INDIRECT BUT ALSO AFFECTING THE
LITHIUM VALLEY EFFORTS. SO WE'RE
THINKING OF INVITING ALL OF THEM
AND FIGURING OUT UM, WHICH MEET
MONTHLY IN WHICH COME IN AS
NEEDED. ALSO, WE NOTICED IN THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION'S
REPORT IS RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE
COMMUNITY. WITH THE TRIBES WITH
THOSE THAT WILL BE AFFECTED AS
WE'RE DOING OUR WORK. SO I'M
THINKING THAT THIS CONVENING OF
STATE PARTNERS CAN ALSO HELP US
WITH A COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN.
UH BETTER, YOU KNOW, A BETTER
WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE
INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE AND
POTENTIALLY A SECRET PRIMER. A
LOT OF THE AGENCIES LIKE CCR
LEAD AGENCIES ON SEQUA, SO WE
HAVE A LOT OF INSIGHT AND
POTENTIALLY CAN DO SOME TYPE OF
PRIMER FOR COMMUNITIES AND
TRIBES. ON THE NEXT SLIDE. YOU
WILL SEE THE FOCUS ON ATTRACTING
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SO THIS IS
BEYOND WHAT THE STATE PARTNERS
CAN DO. A LOT OF IT FOCUSED ON
OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, SO WE DID
COORDINATE A VISIT FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. UH IN
APRIL TO COME GET TO KNOW THE
LITHIUM VALLEY AND FOR THEM TO
REALIZE HOW AH, YOU KNOW, GREAT.
IT IS WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE
MEET THE PEOPLE. SO THAT WAS
VERY EFFECTIVE. ALSO ALREADY
ENGAGING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE OFFICE OF LOCAL DEFENSE
COMMUNITY CORPORATION. THEY HAVE
A LOT OF GRANTS IN THE MILLIONS
AND SOME OF THEM ARE COMPETITIVE
AND OTHERS ARE JUST IF WE HAVE A
GREAT IDEA, AND IT WILL IMPACT
THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE
MILITARY COMMUNITY LIVING IN THE
AREA, WHICH IN IMPERIAL VALLEY
THERE IS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
FUND SO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BUT
THAT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY THERE
THAT I THINK ENERGY COMMISSION
BASED ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS THAT
WE HAVE WITH MILITARY CAN DO.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS
, WHAT I'M THINKING IS OF
PUTTING ON A LITHIUM VALLEY
SYMPOSIUM IN THE IMPERIAL AREA
WHERE WE CAN DO SOMETHING
SIMILAR TO THE EPIC SYMPOSIUM
WHERE WE INVITE, UM YOUR STATE
PARTNERS, FEDERAL PARTNERS,
COMPANIES, ENTERPRISES, ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO COME AND FIGURE OUT
HOW CAN WE BETTER WORK TOGETHER?
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE SO
WE CAN DO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS
INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS. WORKFORCE
NEEDS OTHER CRITICAL MINERAL
POSSIBILITIES. AND UM, YOU KNOW
WHATEVER ELSE CAN COME ABOUT SO
WE DON'T HAVE THIS FULLY FLESHED
OUT. IT'S JUST AN IDEA THAT WE
THAT WE HAVE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN
DO. ON THE NEXT SLIDE. UH IS OUR
FOCUS ON LOCALIZING BENEFITS FOR
RESIDENT SHAREHOLDERS? SO CHAIR
GARCIA, YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP THIS
IDEA OF THE RESIDENTS BEING OUR
SHAREHOLDERS AND WE SHOULD
REALLY BE FOCUSING ON TARGETING
BENEFITS TO THEM AND WHAT THEY
NEED WHAT THEY WANT. AND I
REALLY LOVE THAT IDEA. AND SO I
WANT TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH
YOU AND THE GROUP HERE TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. BUT
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE
MEANTIME, IS HAVING ALL OF OUR
COMMISSIONERS AT THE ENERGY
COMMISSION DO VISITS. THERE'S
ONE COMMISSIONER LEFT OF US FIVE
WHO HASN'T VISITED, BUT WE'RE
PLANNING ALREADY, UH, AN
ENGAGEMENT FOR HIM TO ATTEND AND
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO THAT
WILL ALL FIVE OF US WILL HAVE
BEEN THERE BY THE END OF THE
YEAR. WE'VE BEEN DOING CHECK INS
WITH A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
SOME OF THEM REPRESENTED HERE
AND WE'VE DONE A WHOLE ARRAY OF
OTHER EVENTS AND ATTENDED TO GET
TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
AND SO FOR NEXT STEPS, UM, WE
ARE PLANNING A VISIT TO GET TO
KNOW THE MAYORS IN THE CITY
MANAGERS OF ALL OF THE CITIES
THAT FORM THE IMPERIAL VALLEY.
SO WE REALLY, UH GET TO THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM
DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE
PRIORITIZING AND WHAT ALL OF
THIS LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, FROM
THEIR PERSPECTIVE. WE'RE ALSO
THINKING ABOUT HAVING A LITHIUM
VALLEY SECTION IN THE NEXT HYPER
INTEGRATED ENERGY POLICY REPORT
, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MOST
CRITICAL PIECES AND THEN ALSO
FIGURING OUT IF THERE ARE ANY
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK ABOUT
WATER TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT ITEMS FOR THE
COMMUNITY. AND THEN HEALTH
STUDIES AS WELL BECAUSE WE ALSO
KNOW AS CHAIR PAS MENTIONED THAT
HEALTH IS A MAJOR ASPECT. AND
THEN FINALLY, THAT IN THE NEXT
SLIDE IS, UM, INVESTING
RESOURCES TO PROMOTE CALIFORNIA
ENERGY COMMISSION HAS INVESTED A
LOT 200/270 MILLION AND WE ALSO
HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM CALLED
GERDA, THE GEOTHERMAL GRANT AND
LOAN PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY. BUT ASIDE FROM
THAT, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF CENTRALIZING ALL
OF THE RESOURCES THAT THE AGENT
STATE AGENCIES HAVE AVAILABLE IN
THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO
BE ABLE TO ATTRACT MORE
BUSINESSES TO THE LITHIUM VALLEY
, INCLUDING FOR CO LOCATION, UM
AND OTHER TYPES OF SUPPORT AND
ALSO KEEPING THE BUSINESSES WE
HAVE TO THEY WILL BE MORE
EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THE LITHIUM VALLEY AND ALSO GAIN
CONFIDENCE ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING. AND SO A FEW OF THE
IDEAS THAT WE HAVE IS, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF OUR NEW
OPT IN PERMITTING PROCESS THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED BY ASSEMBLY BILL
205 MAKES SENSE. FOR THE WORK
THAT'S BEING DONE ON LITHIUM,
UH, IN GENERAL, DEVELOPING A
DASHBOARD TO BE ABLE TO EASILY
DISPLAY THE INVESTMENTS IN THE
PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING, UM SO
MONETARILY AND ALSO ON THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN ALSO
JUST PUTTING TOGETHER LIKE I
SAID THAT PACKAGE FOR ATTRACTING
OTHER COMPANIES, DEVELOPERS
BUSINESSES, ETCETERA THAT COULD
UM, PLAY A ROLE IN LITHIUM
VALLEY SO POTENTIALLY A ONE
PAGER FOR THEM, UH, DOING THE
DASHBOARD THAT WE DISPLAY ON THE
WEBSITE? THINGS OF THAT SORT
THAT JUST MAKE IT REALLY EASY
FOR FOLKS TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE
WHAT'S GOING ON WHAT WE'RE
DOING. AND THEN ON THE NEXT
SLIDE, THERE'S A LIST OF THE
VARIOUS BENEFITS AND RESOURCES
AND INVESTMENTS THAT THE STATE
AGENCIES HAVE MADE. THERE'S A
LOT AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO
THROUGH THEM ALL BUT JUST TO
GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF LIKE, WHAT
WE CAN PUT TOGETHER IS WHAT I'M
CALLING RIGHT NOW. A PACKAGE
ABOUT LITHIUM VALLEY AND WHY
IT'S GREAT AND WE CAN PROMOTE
THAT ALL IN THERE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M
SURE THERE WILL BE SOME
QUESTIONS. UM FOR YOURSELF AND
CHAIR. ONCE WE COMPLETE
SUPERVISOR FRAWLEY'S YOURS.
THANK YOU. GREETINGS FROM
IMPERIAL COUNTY. AS UH, OR
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MENTIONED IT IS
THE HOME OF LITHIUM VALLEY, UM,
INCLUSIVE. AND I AM RYAN KELLY.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS FOR IMPERIAL COUNTY
AND ALSO THE VICE CHAIR FROM THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION. IT
WAS MY HONOR TO SERVE WITH THE
COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDING MISS
PAUSE, AND SO MATTER. MR WISE
CALL AND OTHERS THAT ARE IN
ATTENDANCE. WE THINK, UH, CHAIR
GARCIA FOR CONVENING THIS AND
GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY AND ALL
THE MEMBERS PRESENT. FOR
ALLOWING US TO GIVE YOU AN
UPDATE OF WHERE WE'VE COME SINCE
THE COMMISSION'S
RECOMMENDATIONS. WHERE WE WERE,
AS WE BUILT DURING THE
COMMISSION'S CONVERSATION. WE'VE
ALWAYS SEEN THE SALTON SEA IS AN
OPPORTUNITY AND NOT A BURDEN.
AND AS WE ARE TALKING TODAY,
THAT IS THE CONDITION THAT WE
FIND OURSELVES. THE SALTON SEA.
IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT
PAYS DIVIDENDS NOT JUST TO THE
PEOPLE OF IMPERIAL VALLEY BUT
ALSO TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND THE NATION. NEXT SLIDE. SO.
IMPERIAL COUNTY IS KIND OF
UNIQUE THAT WE'VE BEEN
EXPERIENCING AND RENEWABLE
ENERGY FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
GEOTHERMAL ESTABLISHED IN THE
LATE SEVENTIES AND CONTINUING TO
OPERATE AND PROVIDE BASE LOAD
POWER IN CALIFORNIA AND OUTSIDE
OF CALIFORNIA. WE'VE ALSO SEEN
WIND AND SOLAR DEVELOPED IN
IMPERIAL COUNTY. AND WHAT WE
LEARNED WHEN SOLAR BECAME VERY
ATTRACTIVE AND PROMOTED. WAS
THAT WE WERE NOT READY
SPECIFICALLY FOR IT. SO AS IT
HAPPENED, IT ENDED UP BEING
PLACED ON DISTURBED LAND
AGRICULTURAL LAND. YEAH. AND.
TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 16,000 ACRES
OF ACREAGE THAT WAS FARMING.
THAT IS NOW IN SOLAR FARM. THAT
DISPLACED JOBS DISPLACED. WATER.
UM AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN OTHER
CONCERNS ABOUT HOW WATER IS
BEING USED ON THE LOWER COLORADO
RIVER. SO IN 2015, THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
AWARDED MONEY TO IMPERIAL COUNTY
TO DO A ENERGY OVERLAYING,
INCLUDING GEOTHERMAL, BUT ALSO
SOLAR. AND WE WERE VERY THANKFUL
FOR THAT, UH, THAT FUNDING THAT
ALLOWED US TO BE ABLE TO TARGET
WHERE WE WANTED TO SEE SOLAR
HAPPENED. NOT EXCLUDING
INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, BUT
SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER
FOR YOU TO PERMIT IF YOU WENT TO
AN AREA THAT WAS NOT IN
PRODUCTION THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF
THE SERVICE AREA. AND THAT YOU
WENT INTO A SPECIFIC PLAN
LOCATION. UM AND SO THAT HAS
BEEN THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. UPDATE
TO OUR GENERAL PLAN. AND THAT'S
WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WE'VE SEEN
MOST OF THE NEW SOLAR NOW GOING
INTO AREAS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
FARMED FOR OVER 20 YEARS OR INTO
OPEN LAND. BUT. WE HAVE ALSO
SEEN OVER THESE YEARS THE PAST
FOUR DECADES THAT GEOTHERMAL HAS
BEEN A VERY GOOD NEIGHBOR. OF
AGRICULTURAL. PRODUCTION AND
IMPERIAL COUNTY. AND THEN WE SEE
THAT CONTINUING AS MINERAL
EXTRACTION HAPPENS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO NOW WE'RE HERE AS A COMEBACK.
RIGHT UM, THE RENEWABLE
PORTFOLIO. IT. IT MENTIONED
GEOTHERMAL BUT DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
GEOTHERMAL. AND AFTER YEARS OF
ADVOCATING AT LEAST A DECADE OR
MORE IN MY LIFETIME. WE'VE BEEN
IN THESE HALLS WE'VE BEEN IN
WASHINGTON. WE'VE SPOKEN WITH
DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES.
LEGISLATORS. TO BRING GEOTHERMAL
ATTENTION INTO FOCUS FOR POLICY
OR IMPLEMENTATION. AND TODAY WE
ARE HERE AND THE BIGGEST SHIFT
THAT HAS OCCURRED WAS THE PUBLIC
UTILITY COMMISSIONS. 2021
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN. WHEN
GEOTHERMAL BECAME PART OF A
PRESCRIBED MANDATE A POWER
PURCHASE FOR THE I. O. U. S AND
THE MUNICIPALS. THAT MADE THE
GAME FOR MINERAL EXTRACTION MUCH
MORE ATTRACTIVE. AND I BELIEVE
THAT IS A KEY OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
TALKING ABOUT AH, UM THESE
CONDITIONS TODAY. SO I APPLAUD
THAT DECISION AND OTHER
DECISIONS, BUT THESE POLICIES
ARE ARE MAKING. THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEEING A HUGE ECONOMIC
BENEFIT. FOR OUR AREA AND THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO WHERE
HAVE WE BEEN? WELL, THERE WAS
ALSO A HUGE PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT WAS ASSIGNED LAST YEAR.
SENATE BILL 1 25 WITH THE
ASSISTANCE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
GARCIA. AND, UM AND OUR STATE
SENATOR BEN HUESO. SIGNED BY THE
GOVERNOR CREATED AN AVENUE FOR
US TO BE IN A PLANNING FOR WHAT
COULD AND WE HOPE HAPPENS. SO
FUNDING FOR SPECIFIC PLAN AND
PROGRAMMATIC E I. R WAS INCLUDED
IN THAT AND I CAN TELL YOU TODAY
THAT THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED
AND WE'RE ALMOST IN THE 12TH
MONTH OF THAT STUDY. UM WE ALSO
WERE AWARDED FUNDS TO BE, UM TO
HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE'VE
AWARDED FIVE GRANTS TO COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO BE DOING
OUTREACH RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC
PLAN AND PROGRAMMATIC E I. R. WE
HAVE ALSO INITIATED A HEALTH
IMPACT ANALYSIS. THROUGH OUR IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN DIEGO STATE
UNIVERSITY THAT IS LOOKING AT
WHAT THE COMMUNICATIVE IMPACTS
OF WHAT WE KNOW LITHIUM VALLEY
WILL BE PRODUCING. WE ALSO HAVE
A WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION NEEDS
ASSESSMENT THAT WAS FUNDED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. THAT IS
TAKING A LOOK AT THE LONG TERM
NEEDS OF OUR EDUCATION BUILDING
AND WORKFORCE DELIVERY FOR NEW
INDUSTRY AND IMPERIAL VALLEY.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SEVERANCE TAX
THAT WAS INCLUDED IN SP 1 25.
20% OF THAT GOES TO THE SALTON
SEA OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
OF PROJECTS 80% TO IMPERIAL
COUNTY. AND WE HAVE AGREED IN
FRAMEWORK TO SHARE THAT WITH THE
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, THE CITIES
AND TOWNS OF IMPERIAL COUNTY BUT
MOST IMPORTANTLY TO INVEST IN
LITHIUM VALLEY BECAUSE IF YOU
VISITED AS MR CONNELLY MENTIONED
IT IS A GREENFIELD SPACE. WE
HAVE BRIDGES THAT NEED TO BE
REPAIRED. WE HAVE ROADS THAT
NEED TO BE PAVED. WE HAVE
BROADBAND AND WE NEED TO
ENCOURAGE THIS INDUSTRY TO
LOCATE DEVELOPED. AND SPAWN
MORE. AND ATTRACT MORE OF THIS
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING BASE.
SO IN REVERENCE TO THE, UH THEY
SEVERANCE TAX. WE HAVE INITIATED
A 60 DAY COMMENT PERIOD THAT'S
CONCLUDED, BUT WE EXTENDED IT
AND TODAY. YOU CAN STILL MAKE
YOUR OWN COMMENT. WORK
PRIORITIES SHOULD BE AND WE ARE
HOPING TO HAVE A STAKEHOLDER
MEETING THIS FALL WHERE WE'RE
GOING TO INVITE. COMMUNITY
LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY
NGOS CITIES AGENCIES TO COME
TOGETHER, INCLUDING AH
REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL TO BE
ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THOSE
PRIORITIES SHOULD BE SET. AND
WE'D LIKE TO MEMORIALIZE THAT.
BUT TO BE CLEAR THERE IS NO
MONEY GENERATED TODAY. SO THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
BUILDING UPON AND TRYING TO
ESTABLISH PRIOR TO THAT DAY. THE
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WE HAVE
TAKEN THE INITIATIVE OF ALSO
INCENTIVIZING LITHIUM VALLEY.
AND WE ARE YOU UTILIZING THE, UM
, PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA, THE
CAPITAL AND INVESTMENT INCENTIVE
PROGRAM THAT CAPS PROPERTY TAX
AT A INVESTMENT OF OVER 400
MILLION EACH OF THE COMPANIES
ARE AWARE OF THIS. WE'VE ALSO
OFFERED A REBATE TO THE
PRODUCERS OF THE MINERAL AND TO
THOSE THAT WANT TO MANUFACTURER
WITH THAT RESOURCE IN IMPERIAL
COUNTY, SO THIS ONLY APPLIES.
TWO IF YOU ARE TAKING LITHIUM
FROM IMPERIAL VALLEY AND SELLING
TO A MANUFACTURER IN IMPERIAL
COUNTY. THAT IS PRODUCING A
PRODUCT. IN IMPERIAL COUNTY. UM
. WE ARE ALSO IN GAUGED IN, UH,
IN TALKING WITH MANUFACTURING
COMPANIES. WE ATTENDED THE FAST
MARKETS CONFERENCE AND HENDERSON
, NEVADA WITH IN COORDINATION
WITH JOB IS AS WELL AS LABOR AND
INDUSTRY. TO BRING MORE
ATTENTION TO LITHIUM VALLEY.
LITHIUM VALLEY IS A. IS A GOOD
MONIKER TO DESCRIBE WHO WE ARE.
BUT AS WE FOUND OUT FROM THE
INDUSTRY AND THOSE THAT ARE IN
THE MINING SECTOR EVERYONE KNOWS
THIS RESOURCE AS THE SALT AND
CGRTS THERMAL RESOURCE AREA. AND
SO WE'RE HELPING THEM. AND WE'RE
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH LITHIUM
VALLEY AND BRAZIL. UM WE ARE
ALSO WORKING AT STREAMLINING OUR
PERMITTING PROCESS. SO AS WE
MENTIONED, WE ARE DOING A
SPECIFIC PLAN AND
PROGRAMMATICALLY IR UM AT THE
END OF THAT WE ARE TALKING WITH
MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS THAT
ARE WILLING TO CO LOCATE INTO
LITHIUM VALLEY SO THAT WE CAN
IDENTIFY THEM AND HAVE THEM
INCLUDED IN OUR ANALYSIS, SO AT
THE END OF THE DAY THAT THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO US
HAVING A COMPLETE ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW, AND IF NOT THOSE HAZARDS
THAT WE KNOW AND HAVE ALREADY
STUDIED COULD BE BUILT OFF OF
FOR THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT. REPORT. WE'VE
ESTABLISHED A LITHIUM VALLEY
OFFICE WITHIN OUR
ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS A
LIAISON BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND
INDUSTRY. WE ARE TRYING NOT TO
HAVE ANY OF THE LOSS
INFORMATION. TO MAKE SURE THAT
THESE THINGS YET RESPONDED TO
QUERIES ARE NOT LEFT OUT IN THE
ETHER. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO
DEVELOPING AN ENHANCED
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE DISTRICT.
AROUND THE SALTON SEA. THIS
WOULD BE A TAX INCREMENT OF
INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES THAT
WOULD BE USED IN THE AREA.
AROUND THREE MILES FROM THE
SHORE LINE. THE SHORELINE TODAY.
AS THE SHORELINE IS RECEDING
EVERY DAY. MY NEXT SLIDE. SO THE
LITHIUM VALLEY SPECIFIC PLAN AND
PROGRAMMATIC E I. R. IT IS. BUT
KNOWN GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE AREA
IS 111,000 ACRES. WE ARE. TAKING
ON A SIZE OF 51,000 ACRES ABOUT
THE SIZE OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND.
UM AND THAT IS THE OVERALL
IMPACT AREA AND THAT IS WHERE
THE RESOURCES ARE BEING
DEVELOPED AND USED TODAY. BUT
THEN EVEN MORE FOCUSED IS THE
10,000 TO 12,000 ACRES WHERE WE
ARE DOING THE APPLICATION OF THE
PROGRAMMATIC E I. R. AND THAT IS
WHERE THE FOOTPRINT TODAY OF ALL
THREE OF THE, UM GEOTHERMAL
SITES FROM THE COMPANY'S YOU'LL
HEAR. OR AT SO WE ARE IN THEIR
REGION AND WHERE THEY ARE
DEVELOPING. NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR
PLAN IS, UH. IS GOING TO TAKE IN
AND OVERLAY OVER LANDS THAT ARE
PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY HELD. UM
AND TO DISPEL ANY RUMORS. I'M
SURE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT
CERTAINLY HEARD IT. WE ARE NOT
INTENTIONALLY DRYING UP THE SALT
AND SEE TO CREATE A RESOURCE FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THIS IS A CONDITION THAT
HAPPENED FROM A WATER TRANSFER.
AND THAT THE RESOURCES ALWAYS
BEEN THERE, AND IT IS WELL
BELOW. THE SALTON SEA. BUT I DO
APPLAUD ENERGY SOURCE CONTROLLED
THERMAL RESOURCES AND BERKSHIRE
HATHAWAY RENEWABLE. FOR
DEVELOPING THE SALTON SEA KNOWN
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE AREA AND
INCORPORATING MINERAL EXTRACTION
INTO THEIR PROJECTS. AND WE
THINK EDUARDO GARCIA BEEN HUESO
KAREN DOUGLAS, GAIL MILLER,
LAWRENCE SANCHEZ WADE CROW FOOT.
GOVERNOR NEWSOM, AMONG OTHERS.
RECOGNIZING THE RESOURCE IN
IMPERIAL COUNTY AND PARTNERING
WITH US AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF
NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, GO
HARDER AS WELL. BUT CALIFORNIA
POLICIES CREATED A SHIFT TO DE
CARBONIZED. THE ENERGY AND
TRANSPORTATION SECTORS. AND
MEMBERS. YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE
THAT CALIFORNIA ENERGY
CALIFORNIA MINERALS CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS EQUATES TO
CALIFORNIA JOBS. I HAVE A NIECE
THAT LIVES IN AMARILLO, TEXAS.
SHE DRIVES A F 3 50 DIESEL. SHE
IS NOT GOING TO BUY. AN ELECTRIC
VEHICLE. I WOULD HAVE HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH HER. BUT
ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT ARE MADE
IN TEXAS. AND SOLD IN
CALIFORNIA. DOESN'T PAY THE
DIVIDEND OF THESE POLICIES AND
THIS DEVELOPMENT. SO WE ARE
WATCHING WHAT IS HAPPENING? WE
ARE TALKING TO THESE COMPANIES.
THEIR CHOICES ARE BEING MADE
TODAY. WEST VIRGINIA. MICHIGAN
SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, TEXAS,
NEVADA, ARIZONA. THEY ARE MAKING
STRONG SALE PITCHES TO HAVE
THESE INDUSTRIES THESE
MANUFACTURERS LOCATE. THE ON
SHORING IS HAPPENING TODAY. AND
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET OUR
STUFF TOGETHER. SO I THANK YOU
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR
WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
PRESENTER. THAT'S MR RUSSELL
MEDAL. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN
GARCIA AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS LISA
OLMEDO AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
BECAUSE C¢M ARRIVES AT 501 C
THREE ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY
BASED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION. THAT LIVES IN THE
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES OF
IMPERIAL VALLEY, OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS LITHIUM VALLEY. COMMITTED
CIVIC WAS FOUNDED ON THE
PRINCIPLE THAT INFORM PEOPLE
BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITY. WE DO
THIS BY INFORMING, EDUCATING AND
ENGAGING IMPERIAL VALLEY
RESIDENTS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
VENUES FOCUS ON WATER QUALITY
AIR POLLUTION ENERGY, CLEAN
TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC HEALTH
AND FARM WORKER RIGHTS. IS ONE
OF MANY LOCAL IMPACT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
WORKING TIRELESSLY. OVER THE
PAST TWO YEARS TO ENSURE THAT
THE FULL SCALE EXTRACTION
PROCESS OUR REGIONS DURING
THERMAL ENERGY, LET THEM MINERAL
RECOVERY INDUSTRY OR DEVELOPED
SUSTAINABLY AND INEQUITABLY.
THROUGHOUT OUR REGION'S HISTORY
, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESIDENTS
AND COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN LURE
LURED BY VARIOUS INDUSTRIES WITH
THE PROMISE OF ECONOMIC,
SALVATION AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS
IN EXCHANGE FOR COMMUNITY AND
POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR
PROJECTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE
PROMISES HAVE FALLEN SHORT AND
EITHER THE PROJECTS OR THE
COMMUNITY BENEFITS FAILED TO
MATERIALIZE. THESE TYPES OF
OUTCOMES CAN PROVE TO BE
DEMORALIZING AND FOSTERS A
CULTURE OF SUSPICION. ANYTIME A
NEW INDUSTRY PARACHUTES ENTRY
IMPERIAL COUNTY AS STARTING TO
BE THE NEXT ECONOMIC SAVIOR OF
OUR COMMUNITY. FURTHER. IMPERIAL
COUNTIES, WATER TRANSPORTATION,
BROADBAND HOUSING PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM ARE INSIGNIFICANT NEED OF
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. NOT
ONLY FOR EMERGING LITHIUM
INDUSTRY BUT ALSO FOR THE DAY TO
DAY NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE LIVING
AND WORKING IN IMPERIAL COUNTY.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I ALSO DID
NOT ELABORATE ON THE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS
THAT ARE CONSTANTLY CONFRONTED
IN THE REGION, WATER QUALITY
CHALLENGES STEMMING FROM POOR
DRINKING WATER TO THE SHRINKING
SALTON SEA AIR POLLUTION FROM
LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
INTERNATIONAL GOODS MOVEMENT
STEMMING FROM THE CALIFORNIA
MEXICO BORDER ARE A CONSTANT
STRUGGLES. REGARDING THE FUTURE
OF LITHIUM EXTRACTION COMMITTEE
THAT COMMITTEE VIA IS CONCERNED
WITH POTENTIAL WASTE FROM THE
MINERAL RESOURCE RECOVERY
PROCESS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT TO
THE LOCAL WATER QUALITY. WHILE
HISTORIC AND CURRENT CONCERNS
ARE REAL. EQUALS Y UNDERSTANDS
THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPERIAL VALLEY THE CLEANEST AND
THE SAFEST IN THE WORLD. BUT IN
ORDER TO DO SO, IT WILL BE
IMPORTANT THAT THE INDUSTRY
WORKERS, COMMUNITY AND
GOVERNMENT COME TOGETHER AROUND
A SET OF VALUES. THAT PROTECTS
THE HEALTH AND OUR LOCAL
RESIDENTS, INSURERS,
ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AND
ENCOURAGES HIGH ROAD EDUCATION,
TRAINING AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. IN THE SPIRIT OF
COMMITTEE CITY CALLED VIA HAS
BEEN WORKING. IN COALITION WITH
LABOR UNIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, REGIONAL NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE BANNER
OF LITHIUM VALLEY COMMUNITY
COALITION. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
COORDINATING OUR PARTICIPATION
IN IMPERIAL COUNTIES. LITHIUM
PLANNING. PERMITTING COMMUNITY
OUTREACH PROCESSES. FRANKLY THE
TECHNICAL POLICY AND LEGAL
IMPLICATIONS ARE OVERWHELMING.
AND WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN TO
KEEP IN PLACE. AND WE ARE
ACTIVELY SOLICITING ACADEMIC
EXPERTISE TO ASSIST. THE LITHIUM
VALLEY COMMUNICABLE COALITION.
I'M SORRY. THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMUNITY COALITION
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
AND CURRENTLY FOCUSED IN
IMPERIAL COUNTIES. PROGRAMMATIC
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
WHICH WILL PROVIDE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WITH THE DETAILED
INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS POSSIBLE
WAYS TO MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS
AND OFFER ALTERNATIVES THAT
WOULD REDUCE AND AVOID
IDENTIFIED IMPACTS. THE
COALITION ALSO ENGAGED IN
REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING UNDER THE STATE'S
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC RESILIENCE
FUND, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SERVE.
CREATED TO PROMOTE A SUSTAINABLE
AND EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
FROM ECONOMIC DISTRESS OF COVID
19 BY SUPPORTING NEW PLANS AND
STRATEGIES TO DIVERSIFY THE
LOCAL ECONOMY. IN SOLIDARITY
WITH OUR LABOR UNIONS. WE ARE
ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE
CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BOARDS. HIGH ROAD TRAINING
PARTNERSHIPS, OR H R T P TO
FOSTER CLEAN ENERGY INDUSTRY
PARTNERSHIPS TO DELIVER EQUITY
SUSTAINABILITY AND FAMILY
SUPPORTING QUALITY JOBS. OUR
COALITION PLANS TO LEVERAGE
THESE LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES TO OUR
REACH RECRUIT. ENCOURAGE
ENROLLMENT IN IMPERIAL VALLEYS.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE LITHIUM
WORKFORCE TRAINING CURRICULUMS.
ON THE POLICY FROM COMMUNITY
SEQUEL VIRUS SPONSORING
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S GARCIA'S A. B
15 62, WHICH SEEKS TO LEGISLATE
A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
LITHIUM BALI COMMISSION'S REPORT
TO ESTABLISH A SOUTH IS
CALIFORNIA DESERT VALLEYS
ECONOMIC ZONE TO INCLUDE
IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN
COACHELLA AND PALO VERDE
VALLEYS. POLICY GOALS FOR THE
ZONE INCLUDE TARIFF RELIEF.
CREDITS OR INCENTIVES FOR
CORPORATE INVESTMENTS, CREDITS
FOR EDUCATION, INVESTMENT IN
LOCAL WORKFORCE AND CHILDCARE
RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT. COMMUNITY
BENEFITS. PROJECT LABOR AND
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS IN
ADDITION TO THE INTEGRATION OF
THE STATE CERTIFIED
APPRENTICESHIP AND THE PRE
APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES
IMPERIAL COUNTY CURRENTLY FACES
17% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND 20%
22% OF ITS RESIDENTS LIVE BELOW
THE POVERTY LINE. A NUMBER THAT
DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. C¢M
VALUE BELIEVES THAT EQUITABLE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROGRAMS
WILL GO A LONG WAY TO REDUCE
LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE
INCREASING COMMUNITY AND
INDIVIDUAL WEALTH. THE
CHALLENGES WELL, WHILE WE ARE
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THESE
OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT OFFER THERE
ARE CHALLENGES THAT THESE
ACTIVITIES MAY HAVE. THE FOUR
ABILITY TO ADDRESS. ONE OF THESE
CHALLENGES IS THE LACK OF
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE IMPERIAL
VALLEY. WE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT
OF CHARGES PER CAPITA IN
COMPARISON TO THE REST STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, ACCORDING TO
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
COMMITTEE. CERVICAL VIRUS, THE
ONLY NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT IS
ACTIVELY CONSTRUCTING
MAINTAINING A LOCAL COMMUNITY
OWNED CHARGING STATION
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT INTENDS TO
KEEP THE MONEY THAT IS INVESTED
FROM CALIFORNIA IN CALIFORNIA IN
OUR COMMUNITIES TO BUILD THE
RESILIENCE AND THE EQUITY AND
THE JUSTICE THAT THE LEGISLATURE
AND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
PROMISED US. A SIGNIFICANT
BARRIER IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS
GOAL IS THE CCS REQUIREMENT THAT
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAPITAL
INVESTMENT BE COMMITTED AS A
PREREQUISITE. IN ORDER TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC CHARGING
STATION INCENTIVE DOLLARS.
COMMITTED CIVIC ALWAYS HAS MET
WITH THE CC TO COMMUNICATE A
DESIRE FOR PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY.
OUR UNIQUE MARKET POSITION AND
HAVE OFFERED REFORMS TO ENSURE
THAT THE E V CHARGING STATION
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY OR
EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE IF
IMPERIAL VALLEY HAS THE LEAST
AMOUNT OF ACCESS TO THE V
CHARGERS. YET WE ARE WE MAY BE
PRODUCING THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST
SUPPLY OF LITHIUM, A PRODUCT
THAT THEN WE WOULD NOT A
CONSUMER PRODUCT THAT WE WILL
NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS. IN
ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMMATIC
GAPS IN THE STATES, E V CHARGING
STATION PROGRAMS, WE ARE ALSO
CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFORTS TO
REPEAL THE LEGISLATURE'S LITHIUM
TAX EXCESS TAX IN SB 1 25 THAT
SUPERVISOR KELLY HAD MENTIONED
THAT WAS PASSED AS PART OF LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET THAT TOOK AN
ENORMOUS LIFT. BUT THANK YOU
LEGISLATURE FOR PASSING THAT.
BUT IT IS NOW BEING THREATENED
AND THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
THAT ENDOW AT LEAST LEGISLATED
IN STATUTE. AND WOULD BE
GUARANTEED THAT SOME OF THE
INDUSTRY OPPOSED NOT ALL. BUT WE
APPRECIATE THOSE WHO I JUST DID
NOT SHOW UP POSITION TO THAT TAX
AND WANT TO BE FAIR AND
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES. UM
NOW IT'S BEING THREATENED.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE IMPERIAL
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
VOTED TO OPPOSE THE TAXPAYER
PROTECTION AND GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. A STATEWIDE
INITIATIVE SPONSORED BY THE
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE,
CBR TEAM. THIS INITIATIVE WOULD
AMEND CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION TO
RESTRICT THE ABILITY OF THE
STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND
ELECTORATE. TO APPROVE AND
COLLECT TAXES AND FEES. BY
RETROACTIVELY CANCELING RECENTLY
PASSED REVENUES MEASURES AND
INVALIDATING ALL STATE AND LOCAL
MEASURES PASSED AFTER JANUARY.
1ST 2022 THIS PUTS SB 1 25
EXCISE TAX AND ENORMOUS RISK AND
IT WOULD TAKE ANY INCENTIVE. I
MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY, UM, POORLY
INVESTED COMMUNITY. UM.
SURPRISED YOU, KELLY MEANT AND
GOOD JOB MENTIONING ALL THAT. UM
WE HOPE THAT IF PASSED, THIS
MEASURE WOULD INVALIDATE THE
STATE'S LITHIUM EXTRACTION
EXCISE TAX, WHICH I'M SURE MADE.
BE VERY PROMISING FOR SOME IN
THE INDUSTRY. UM LIKE I SAID,
WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN FULLY
SUPPORTIVE OF COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS. UM. WILL BE PASSED
IN JANUARY 22, WHICH GUARANTEES
IMPERIAL COUNTY RECEIVED IT,
WHILE THE EXCESS TAX WILL
GUARANTEE 80% OF THE MONIES WILL
GO BACK TO THE IMPERIAL VALLEY.
UH, THROUGH INCENTIVES. AH. SO
ON BEHALF OF THE VALLEYS,
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, WE
URGED THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNMENT TO EXERT POLITICAL
CAPITAL TO ENSURE THAT THIS
INITIATIVE DOES NOT PASS AND
THAT COMMITTED COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS NOT BE UNDERMINED.
SO IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO
THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ARGO
GARCIA FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
FRONT LINE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU, MR OR MEADOW WILL WANT TO
OUR NEXT PRESENTER. LISA MET
WITH THE PRESIDENT. CEO OF BHD,
RENEWABLES WELCOME HMM. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. AND GOOD
AFTERNOON. DETROIT DID. MY NAME
IS ALICIA NAP AND I'M THE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BHP
RENEWABLES. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE
TODAY IN FRONT OF THIS COMMUNITY
TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE. ON OUR
COMPANY'S LITHIUM AND GEOTHERMAL
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND
IMPERIAL COUNTY. BHD RENEWABLES
IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY ENERGY AND
DEVELOPS, OWNS AND OPERATES.
SOLAR WIND, GEOTHERMAL AND
HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES WITH A TOTAL
COMBINED GENERATION CAPACITY OF
JUST UNDER 5200 MEGAWATTS.
THROUGH OUR SUBSIDIARY CALENERGY
OPERATING CORPORATION. WE HAVE
OWNED AND OPERATED 10 GEOTHERMAL
PLANTS ADJACENT TO THE SALTON
SEA IN IMPERIAL COUNTY FOR OVER
40 YEARS. OUR PLANS HAVE A TOTAL
PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF 345
MEGAWATTS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY
EVALUATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPAND OUR OPERATIONS WITH THREE
NEW GEOTHERMAL PLANTS THAT COULD
DOUBLE THE CAPACITY BY 2028. OUR
PLANS CURRENTLY PROCESS ABOUT
50,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE OF
GEOTHERMAL BRIAN, WHICH COMES
OUT OF THE EARTH AT
APPROXIMATELY 500 °F. WE USED
THE HEAT FROM THE BRIAN TO
PRODUCE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND
THEN RETURN THE BRAIN TO THE
GEOTHERMAL RESERVOIR.
APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE BRAIN
IS WATER AND THE OTHER 25% IS
DISSOLVED MINERALS AND SOLIDS
SUCH AS AND SALTS SUCH AS
MANGANESE, ZINC, SILICA, IRON,
CALCIUM AND, OF COURSE, LITHIUM.
IN FACT, THE GEOTHERMAL
RESERVOIR WE'VE BEEN USING TO
PRODUCE CLEAN BASE LOAD ENERGY
AND IMPERIAL COUNTY FOR DECADES
, IS ALSO ONE OF THE LARGEST
LITHIUM DEPOSITS IN THE WORLD.
AS WE KNOW WELL, WORLD DEMAND
FOR LITHIUM IS EXPECTED TO GROW
AS MUCH AS TENFOLD IN THE NEXT
DECADE AND WILL BE CRITICAL FOR
THE SUCCESS OF THE CLEAN ENERGY
TRANSITION. TODAY VERY LITTLE
LITHIUM IS PRODUCED IN THE US
NEARLY ALL GLOBAL SUPPLY IS
MINED IN ARGENTINA, CHILE, CHINA
AND AUSTRALIA. AND INVOLVES
PROCESSES THAT CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. BUT WE
MAY BE ABLE TO CHANGE THIS. THE
RESERVOIR WERE ALREADY USING TO
PRODUCE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.
PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
FOR US TO SECURE A DOMESTIC
SUPPLY OF LITHIUM IN AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MANNER
. STUDIES ESTIMATE THE
GEOTHERMAL RESERVOIR AND
IMPERIAL COUNTY CAN PRODUCE MORE
THAN 600,000 TONS OF LITHIUM
CARBONATE PER YEAR AND LAST
APPROXIMATELY 40 YEARS.
RECOGNIZING THIS OPPORTUNITY BHP
RENEWABLES HAS BEEN DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGY TO COMMERCIALLY
RECOVER LITHIUM FROM OUR
GEOTHERMAL BRAIN. AND MAY HAVE
2020 BHP RENEWABLES EARNED A $6
MILLION MATCHING GRANT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION. TO
DESIGN AND BUILD A 1/10
COMMERCIAL SCALE DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT TO RECOVER LITHIUM
CHLORIDE AT ONE OF OUR
GEOTHERMAL POWER FACILITIES. BHD
RENEWABLES MATCH THIS GRANT AND
CONTRIBUTED ADDITIONAL CORPORATE
FUNDS AND COMMISSION, THE
LITHIUM RECOVERY DEMONSTRATION
FACILITY IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
WE'RE PARTNERING. PARTNERING
WITH UC RIVERSIDE LAWRENCE
BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY AND
THE CENTER FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
AND RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES TO
ASSIST WITH KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
AND TECHNICAL CHEMICAL WORK. WE
ALSO HAVE PLANS TO BUILD A
SECOND COMMERCIAL SCALE
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO CONVERT
THE LITHIUM CHLORIDE INTO
BATTERY GRADE LITHIUM CARBONATE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
TECHNOLOGY TO RECOVER LITHIUM
FROM IMPERIAL VALLEY GEOTHERMAL
BRIAN IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY
VIABLE IN AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE
AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE
WAY, IS YET TO BE PROVEN ON A
COMMERCIAL SCALE. WE'RE MOVING
FORWARD AND INCREMENTAL STEPS TO
INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF
SUCCESS. WE'RE CURRENTLY TESTING
DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION
TECHNOLOGY ON BRIAN SOURCED
DIRECTLY FROM OUR OPERATING
GEOTHERMAL PLANTS. PENDING THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF OUR
TESTS, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL
PLANT AH COULD BEGIN
CONSTRUCTION AS EARLY AS 2024
AND COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS COULD
BEGIN AS EARLY AS 2026 AS
MENTIONED EARLIER. WE'RE
CURRENTLY DEVELOPING PROJECTS
WHICH WOULD DOUBLE OUR
GEOTHERMAL OUTPUT FROM 345 TO
AROUND 700 MEGAWATTS, AS WELL AS
DOUBLE R LITHIUM RICH BRIAN
FLOW. THE EXPANSION INCLUDES
THREE NEW GEOTHERMAL PLANTS,
WHICH, IF SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED
COULD ALSO INCLUDE LITHIUM
PRODUCTION. DOUBLING OUR
GEOTHERMAL POWER OUTPUT ME
ROUGHLY DOUBLE THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR LITHIUM RECOVERY. OUR
GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS ARE ONGOING
, UNDERGOING THEIR PERMITTING
PROCESS WITH THE CALIFORNIA
ENERGY COMMISSION, AND WE'RE
WORKING, WORKING TO SECURE
OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS FOR THE
PROJECTS. ADDITIONALLY TO
SUPPORT CLEAN BASE LOAD ENERGY
FROM OUR GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS AND
OTHERS BHP RENEWABLES AND
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT ARE
PURSUING MAJOR TRANSMISSION
UPGRADES. TO DELIVER THE
ADDITIONAL CLEAN BASE LOAD
ENERGY CALIFORNIA NEEDS THIS
LINE WILL ALLOW OUR COMPANY AND
OTHER POTENTIAL CLEAN RENEWABLE
POWER PROJECTS TO SUPPLY OVER
1000 MEGAWATTS OF RENEWABLE BASE
LOAD POWER TO CALIFORNIANS
ACROSS THE STATE. BHD RENEWABLES
IS COMMITTED TO BENEFITING THE
COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.
AN IMPERIAL VALLEY IS NO
EXCEPTION. THE COMPANY'S CURRENT
GEOTHERMAL FACILITIES EMPLOY 230
PEOPLE, THE LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT
AND GEO THERMAL EXPANSION
PROJECTS COULD EACH CREATE
APPROXIMATELY 200 NEW PERMANENT
JOBS. THIS IS ON TOP OF THE
SIGNIFICANT TAX IMPACTS THE
PROJECTS WILL HAVE FOR IMPERIAL
IMPERIAL COUNTY AND THE
THOUSANDS OF CONSTRUCTION JOBS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECTS.
RECOGNIZING THAT SPECIFIC
TECHNICAL SKILLS ARE REQUIRED
FOR BOTH LITHIUM AND GEOTHERMAL
PLANT OPERATIONS BHD. RENEWABLES
HAS PARTNERED WITH IMPERIAL
VALLEY COLLEGE TO DEVELOP THREE
NEW CERTIFICATION, PROUD
PROGRAMS TO EQUIP LOCAL
RESIDENTS WITH THE NECESSARY
SKILLS FOR THESE JOBS. WE HAVE
ALSO HAVE ACTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH
AS THE IMPERIAL VALLEY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,
IMPERIAL VALLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE, SALTON SEA
AUTHORITY, ROTARY CLUB, IMPERIAL
COALITION OF LABOR, AGRICULTURE
AND BUSINESS AND GEOTHERMAL
RISING. WITH BOTH PROJECTS.
HOWEVER THERE ARE CHALLENGES
THAT BHP RENEWABLES IS WORKING
TO OVERCOME, SUCH AS
CONSTRUCTION COSTS, SCHEDULE
DELAYS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
AND HOUSING CONSTRAINTS. THE
COMMUNITY ALSO NEED SIGNIFICANT
INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS AND
UPGRADES TO SUPPORT COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING BRIDGES
, ROADS AND BROADBAND ACCESS.
AND SOME OF THAT WORK HAS
ALREADY BEGUN. WE'RE WORKING
DILIGENTLY WITH LOCAL
COMMUNITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO
LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND
EDUCATE THEM ON THE BENEFITS OF
THE PROJECTS, NOTABLY THAT
LITHIUM PRODUCTION WILL NOT
CREATE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE
IMPACTS ON AIR QUALITY AND WILL
NOT ENCROACH ON THE SALTON SEA.
THE LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION
HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN
THESE EFFORTS TO OVERCOME
CHALLENGES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE
SUCCESS OF LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT
IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY,
PARTICULARLY FOR THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY. THROUGH ITS 23 PUBLIC
MEETINGS. IT DID AN EXCELLENT
JOB IDENTIFYING KEY ISSUES
RELATED TO CALIFORNIA'S LITHIUM
ECONOMY AND PROVIDING
RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH ARE OUT
LIGHT AND IT'S DECEMBER 2022
REPORT. BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY
ENERGY WAS HONORED TO SERVE ON
THE COMMISSION AND SUPPORTS ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS. TO CONCLUDE
LITHIUM DEVELOPMENT IN IMPERIAL
COUNTY COULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE
FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND COULD
PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT IN
THE FORM OF A CLEAN DOMESTIC
SOURCE OF LITHIUM FOR THE
NATION. BHP RENEWABLES IS A
SUCCESS IS EXCITED TO BUILD ON
OUR 40 YEAR HISTORY IN THE
REGION BY DEVELOPING GEOTHERMAL
AND LITHIUM PROJECTS THAT WILL
PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN
CALIFORNIA'S CLEAN ENERGY
FUTURE. THANK YOU AGAIN CHAIR
GARCIA FOR CONVENING THIS
HEARING AND INVITING ME TO
PARTICIPATE, AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO TO OUR
FINAL. WITNESS, VINCE, UM,
SIGNAL ROTI. YEAH WITH ENERGY
RESOURCE. MINERALS WILL HELP. I
SAID THAT RIGHT? YOU DID. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN GARCIA
AND MEMBERS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO
BE HERE. I'M VINCE SENIORITY AND
THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR ENERGY
SOURCE MINERALS. SO TO BEGIN
WITH THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT YOU'RE
SEEING ON THE SCREEN IS THE JOHN
L. FEATHERSTONE. GEOTHERMAL
POWER PLANT. IT IS THE NEWEST OF
THE 11 PLANTS CONSTRUCTED AT THE
SALTON SEA. IT WENT INTO
COMMERCIAL OPERATION IN MARCH OF
2012. SO WE'RE IN OUR 11TH YEAR
OF COMMERCIAL OPERATION. SO NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO YOU CAN SEE
WE'VE GOT A WHITE STAR NEAR THE
SALTON SEA. THAT'S THE AREA
WHERE WE WILL BE DEVELOPING OUR
PROJECT. AND YOU'VE GOT OTHER
STARS SCATTERED AROUND NORTH
AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA AND
EUROPE THAT SHOW LITHIUM
RESOURCES. LITHIUM IS PLENTIFUL
IN THE WORLD HAS NOT BEEN
DEVELOPED TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL
. BUT THERE IS PLENTY OF LITHIUM
TO SUPPLY OUR TV NEEDS. NEXT
SLIDE. AGAIN ARE LOCATED. OUR
PROJECT IS LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEASTERN SHORE LINE OF THE
SALTON SEA. YOU CAN SEE 450,000
ACRES OF YOUR GRATED IRRIGATED
FARMLAND IN BUREAU COUNTY. NEXT
SLIDE. SO WE ARE WE CALL OUR
PROJECT PROJECT ATLAS AND I
WANTED DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
PROJECT ATLAS, WHICH IS OUR
20,000 TONS OF LITHIUM HYDROXIDE
MONO HYDRATE AT THE SALTON SEA
FROM OUR TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CALL
ILIAD. SO NEXT SLIDE. SO YOU
PROBABLY MOSTLY KNOW THIS BUT AT
THE SALTON SEA UM, AND AS RYAN
MENTIONED, THERE IS A SOMEWHAT
COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT
LITHIUM PRODUCTION IS COMING
FROM THE SALTON SEA RATHER THAN
A COUPLE OF MILES BELOW THE
GROUND, BUT WE TAKE SUPERHEATED
FLUID FROM A DEEP RESERVOIR. WE
BRING THAT FLUID TO THE SURFACE
, WE RAPIDLY VAPORIZE IT IN A
SERIES OF VESSELS CREATING
STEAM. STEAM IS CLEANED AND THEN
USED TO DRIVE A TURBAN. BRIAN IS
PROCESSED AND INJECTED BACK INTO
THE GROUND. SO THAT IS THE
CURRENT SALTON SEA METHODOLOGY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THAT IS
GOING TO CONTINUE ESSENTIALLY
UNABATED, HOWEVER, BEFORE THE
FMLA BRIAN IS INJECTED BACK INTO
THE GROUND, IT WILL BE DIVERTED
TO A PLANT OUR PROJECT ATLAS,
WHICH WILL BE CO LOCATED WITH
THE JOHN L. FEATHERSTONE PLANT.
THAT IS WHERE WE WILL USE OUR
PATENTED PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE CALL ILIAD. Tð
PREFERENTIALLY HARVEST THE
LITHIUM FROM THE BRAIN. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. FROM OUR PLANT.
OUR PRODUCT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO
A BATTERY MANUFACTURER. OUR GOAL
IS TO PRODUCE BATTERY SPECT
LITHIUM FROM OUR PROJECT ATLAS
NEXT SLIDE. ONCE THE BRAIN IS
PROCESSED THROUGH PROJECT ATLAS
, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO THE
POWER PLANT AND INJECTED BACK
INTO THE GROUND INTO THE
SUBSURFACE RESERVOIRS, SO THE
ENTIRE PROCESS WILL CONTINUE TO
BE A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WE BELIEVE
THAT PROJECT ATLAS WILL BE THE
CLEANEST, MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE LITHIUM PRODUCTION
ON THE PLANET. YOU CAN SEE, UH
OUR WATER CONSUMPTION IS
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN ANY
OTHER TECHNOLOGY, OR C 02 IS
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN ANY
OTHER TECHNOLOGY AND MOST OF THE
02 THAT WE WILL BE PRODUCING.
WILL BE FROM VEHICLE TRAFFIC. SO
THAT'S WHERE THE C 02 COMES
FROM. AND THEN OUR LAND
FOOTPRINT IS PERHAPS MOST
SIGNIFICANT. YOU CAN SEE THE
LARGE BLUE CIRCLE THAT
REPRESENTS 3100 ACRES OF SOUTH
AMERICANS, SOLARES AND. WE ARE
GOING TO PRODUCE THE EQUIVALENT
OF WHAT IS PRODUCED ON 3100
ACRES ON 40 ACRES. SO, UH, VERY
, VERY SMALL FOOTPRINT. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHAT? YOU SEE
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS NOT THE
BRINE THAT COMES OUT OF THE
GROUND. THIS IS PROCESSED. UH,
GEOTHERMAL FLUID. UM BRIAN HAS
IT COMES OUT OF THE GROUND IS
ESSENTIALLY BROWN BECAUSE IT HAS
SO MANY ELEMENTS ON THE PERIODIC
TABLE IN THE BRINE. SO WE
CLEANED THAT. AND DELIVER A MUCH
CLEANER BRIAN TO OUR ILIAD
TECHNOLOGY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING BRIAN IN
SOUTH AMERICAN SOLARES, OR HARD
WORK, MINING AND WESTERN
AUSTRALIA. WE HAVE BRIAN THAT IS
GOING TO STAY ON OUR SITE FOR
ABOUT 12 HOURS. AND WHEN YOU
COMPARE THAT TO SOUTH AMERICAN
SOLARIS THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE
FROM 12 TO 18 MONTHS TO PRODUCE
AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF LITHIUM
. WE ALSO RECOVER OVER 90. AGAIN
COMPARED TO ABOUT 40% IN SOUTH
AMERICA. UM. WE WILL BE
UTILIZING SOME OF THE STEAM SOME
OF THE EXCESS STEAM FROM THE
FEATHERSTONE PLANT AS WELL AS
ELECTRICITY THAT'S ACTUALLY
GENERATED FROM THE FEATHERSTONE
PLANT. UH, WE'RE NOT WEATHER
DEPENDENT. AND AS ALREADY
MENTIONED, IT IS A CLOSED LOOP
SYSTEM. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I
THINK THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE, AND
SO, UM, I WANT TO JUST TELL YOU
THAT THIS IS GOING TO GENERATE A
HUGE AMOUNT OF REVENUE FOR
IMPERIAL COUNTY 720 MILLION OVER
THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT, 96
MILLION OF WHICH WILL GO TO
SALTON SEA RESTORATION EFFORTS.
UM. OUR PROJECT ALONE WILL
GENERATE OVER 220. NEW FULL TIME
JOBS, APPROXIMATELY $18 MILLION
IN PAYROLL AND SERVICES PER YEAR
. $24 MILLION PER YEAR IN TAXES
AND ABOUT $2.5 MILLION IN
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. SO
IT'S A IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE
THINK IS GOING TO BE VERY GOOD
FOR THE COUNTY AND SPEAKING OF
THE COUNTY, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY
WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BOARD. AH AND AS ALICIA MANSON
MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IMPERIAL
VALLEY COLLEGE. THEY
COMMISSIONED THEIR FIRST OF
THREE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS. UM,
THIS SEMESTER AND LAST NIGHT WAS
THE FIRST CLASS. UH THERE WAS AN
ORIENTATION HELD A WEEK AGO. I
ATTENDED AND THERE WERE OVER 60
NEW STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE TO
CLASSES THAT WERE THE TWO
PROGRAMS ONE DURING THE DAY ONE
AT NIGHT FILLED UP ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY, SO WE HOPE THAT BY
THE TIME THESE FOLKS COMPLETE
THEIR CERTIFICATES, CERTIFICATES
PATIENT PROCESS THAT THERE WILL
BE JOBS WAITING FOR THEM. UM
ANOTHER ANOTHER ELEMENT OF OUR
PROJECT TO EMPHASIZE AND THAT IS
LOCAL HIRING THESE KIDS THAT ARE
GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL AND GET
TRAINED NEED TO HAVE JOBS AND
OUR FOCUS IS TO HIRE LOCALLY. SO
UM. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MOST
OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, UH I
KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. WELL I'LL OPEN IT UP
TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE
FOR ANY QUESTIONS. LOOK TO MY
RIGHT. CHARLIE. THANK YOU
APPRECIATE THE PANEL. GREAT JOB.
UM MAYBE STARTING WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION.
UM, SINCE 2017. SISI HAS BEEN
AWARDED MORE THAN $27 MILLION IN
GRANTS FOR RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES.
FACILITATE LITHIUM RECOVERY FROM
GEOTHERMAL RELATED PROJECTS.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RESULTS OF
THESE GRANTS? HAVE THEY HELPED
DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGY OR
CLEANER GENERATION OF
ELECTRICITY? THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. ACTUALLY I WANT TO
TURN TO MY CHIEF OF STAFF ERIC
STOKES, WHO WORKS IN THE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DIVISION. UH SO HE'LL HAVE MORE
DETAILS ON THAT. YES, I BELIEVE.
YEAH. UH SO SINCE 2017. WE'VE
AWARDED A LITTLE OVER $14
MILLION IN GRANTS, MANY OF THESE
PROJECTS ARE STILL ACTIVE, SO
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE
RESULTS. THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST
ONE PROJECT THAT'S COMPLETED
WITH ENERGY SOURCE. UM I DON'T
HAVE THE RESULTS OFF THE TOP OF
MY HEAD. BUT MAYBE SOME OF OUR
COLLEAGUES FROM ENERGY SOURCE
CAN SPEAK TO IT. MOSTLY WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS THESE ARE
NEW TECHNOLOGIES. MAYBE A FOLLOW
UP, YOU KNOW? YEAH I MEAN, THESE
ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES. WE'RE JUST
TRYING TO VALIDATE THEM AT
DIFFERENT SCALES JUST TO PROVE
OUT WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO BE
FEASIBLE AND REALLY, IT'S A
STEPPING STONE TO GET THEM TO
THOSE LARGER SCALES THAT SOME OF
THE PANELISTS MENTIONED EARLIER
IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS. GREAT.
YEAH IT WAS DEFINITELY
INTERESTED IN AND ASKING ABOUT
THE CURRENT STATE OF EXTRACTION
TECHNOLOGY, BUT A COUPLE OF OUR
WITNESSES TOUCHED ON THAT. UM
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION
WAS THEIR RECOMMENDATION OF
DEVELOPING NEW WITH THE, UM
EXTRACTION. TECHNOLOGIES SO I
GUESS THE QUESTION IS, UM AND I
WE GOT A SENSE OF IT. HOW
DEVELOPED ARE THESE TECHNOLOGIES
? IT SOUNDS LIKE NOT YET READY
IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL SCALE.
NEVERTHELESS STILL IN
DEVELOPMENT OR HOW HOW WOULD YOU
CHARACTERIZE WHERE THINGS ARE AT
RIGHT NOW? UM YES, I CAN ANSWER
THAT FOR BHP RENEWABLES AND SO
WE ARE IN THE DEMONSTRATION
PHASE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH
MEANS LAB TESTING HAS BEEN DONE
. UH PILOT TESTING HAS BEEN DONE
AND WE'RE WORKING ON
DEMONSTRATION SCALE TESTING AND
SO BUILDING UP THE TECHNOLOGY.
DOES IT WORK? YES, IT WORKS, BUT
WE ALSO HAVE TO PROVE STUDY.
WHAT ARE THE INPUTS? WHAT ARE
THE OUTPUTS? WHAT ARE THE
ECONOMICS OF IT AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS? AND SO
IT'S AN ONGOING STUDY AND THAT'S
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THE
TECHNOLOGY. SO OUR TECHNOLOGY
ILIAD HAS BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT
FOR ABOUT 7.5 YEARS. SO WE ARE
WAY DOWN THE ROAD FROM A LOT OF
THE OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE AND TO
THE EXTENT THAT THIRD PARTY
VALIDATION OF OUR TECHNOLOGY IS
IMPORTANT, AND IT IS. WE HAVE
SIGNED A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH
A COMPANY IN UTAH. THAT IS GOING
TO BE THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
AND BUILDING A PLANT TO USE OUR
TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE LITHIUM
FROM THE GREAT SALT LAKE. SO
WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT
WE'VE SOLVED THE RIDDLE. GREAT
AND YES, SIR. AND I WOULD HAVE.
I WOULD ASK MR CIGNA RATI TO
ELABORATE THAT THERE IS A
PROJECT FOR PRODUCTION PLANT IN
IMPERIAL COUNTY THAT AH! THE
ENERGY SOURCE IS ALREADY
SUBMITTED AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT
THAT SPECIFICALLY IN CALIFORNIA.
GREAT. OKAY SO I CAN JUST ADD TO
THAT. PERHAPS THAT WE ARE SHOVEL
READY. WE HAVE ALL OF OUR
PERMITS. WE OBTAINED THE LAST
TWO PERMITS AGREEMENTS THAT WE
NEEDED THIS YEAR THAT WAS A
WATER SUPPLY AGREEMENT WITH THE
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND
OUR AIR PERMIT, WHICH IS
ESSENTIALLY THE AUTHORITY TO
CONSTRUCT SO OUR PROJECT IS
SHOVEL READY. GREAT AND THEN ONE
THING WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN.
UM IS, UM AS YOU MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, THE KIND OF
IMPACTS THAT THE PROCESS COULD
HAVE ON PUBLIC HEALTH. THE
ENVIRONMENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT
WILL BE A CRUCIAL PART OF
VALUATION, BUT I KNOW DO YOU
WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT AT THIS
POINT IN TERMS OF GIVEN THE
SHOVEL READY NATURE. IT SOUNDS
LIKE A OF YOUR PROJECT ALWAYS.
RIGHT SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE
TO GO WITH THAT. REALLY REALLY
ACCEPT THAT. AS I SAID, WE'VE
GOT A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE
THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY WORKS. WE
ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES. WE HOPE
OF PROJECT FINANCING AND HOPE TO
BREAK GROUND SOON. GREAT AND IN
TERMS OF ANTICIPATED
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, PUBLIC
HEALTH AS I SAID, MEDICATION
THERE WE HAVE RIGHT SO AGAIN AS
I ONE OF MY SLIDES, SUGGESTED
THE CEO TO FOOTPRINT OF OUR
PROJECT IS VERY, VERY LOW, AND
MOST OF THAT IS GOING TO BE FROM
VEHICLE TRAFFIC. OKAY? UM THE
COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT
THE STATE FUNDING HEALTH IMPACT
ANALYSIS. GOING TO THAT POINT IS
THAT REPORT CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WILL
LIKELY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE?
MAYBE FOLKS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN
THE PROCESS ON THAT MEMBER
CONNOLLY WE HAVE. WE ARE
PARTNERING WITH SAN DIEGO STATE
UNIVERSITY. UM THAT HAS BEEN
AGREED AND IT IS ALREADY BEEN
INITIATED. SO I BELIEVE IT WAS,
UM IT WAS VOTED ON IN EARLY JUNE
AND I THINK THE AGREEMENT HAS
BEEN FINALIZED, SO IT'S ALREADY
UNDERWAY, RIGHT? THERE'S ALSO
COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT.
THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH JUST
AND UCLA THAT IS ONGOING AS
WELL. THAT WILL COMPLEMENT THAT.
YES AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I
DIDN'T MENTIONED THAT THOSE
REPORTS ARE ONLY TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION THE SOUTHERN
PORTION OF THE SALTON SEA THAT'S
LOCATED IN IMPERIAL COUNTY. UM
BUT WE DO SHARE THE SAME AIRBASE
IN WITH THE COACHELLA VALLEY, SO
THERE'S STILL A NEED TO BE
THINKING HOLISTICALLY OF WHAT
THE IMPACT AROUND THE ENTIRE
SULTAN C AND ITS COMMUNITIES IS
GOING TO BE. AND I WILL ADD FROM
THE ENERGY COMMISSION
PERSPECTIVE. WE HAVE FUNDED
HEALTH STUDIES BEFORE RELATED TO
OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR YOU KNOW
THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING. SO
WE THINK WE CAN ALSO SUPPLEMENT
AS NEEDED. WE DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING SECURED JUST YET OR
FLESHED OUT. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S A
POSSIBILITY FOR US THAT WE'RE
CONSIDERING. GREAT AND THEN
FINAL QUESTION. NOW KIND OF
LOOKING AT THE LARGER PICTURE IN
TERMS OF AS THE TECHNOLOGY GETS
DEVELOPED, UH THESE PROCESSES
MOVE FORWARD. ANTICIPATING OTHER
CONSTRAINTS, MAYBE SO ONE BEING
, FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSMISSION
CAPACITY IN THE AREA. THAT'S
CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. TO SOME EXTENT. UM,
BUT IF SOMEONE WANTED TO COMMENT
ON THAT, HOW THAT'S BEING
ANTICIPATED, AND SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES GOING FORWARD WELL WITH
RESPECT TO TRANSMISSION IN
PARTICULAR. THAT'S THE PROJECT
THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT ON
TO EXPAND TRANSMISSION TO THE
HEIR TO THE AREA FROM THE AREA.
I SHOULD SAY, UM, BY 1000
MEGAWATTS, AND SO AS I MENTIONED
OUR PROJECT IS 345, I THINK
ENERGY SOURCES 49 MEGAWATTS
ALREADY CONNECTED, BUT UM IT IS
MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR THE
GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS AND WILL
PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING
IN ADDITIONAL SOLAR AND BATTERY
STORAGE FROM THE AREA. SO A GOOD
MIX OF RENEWABLE RESOURCE IS
FEEDING INTO THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THAT'S A VERY
CRITICAL ONE, AND WE'RE DOWN THE
PATH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT
PROJECT WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE
STATE, AND AS I MENTIONED
PARTNERSHIP WITH I D. UM THE
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. WE'VE
IDENTIFIED ROADS AND BRIDGES
THAT NEED SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENT AND HAVE STARTED
WORK ON SOME OF THOSE, UM AND
THEN EXPANDING BROADBAND TO THE
AREAS ANOTHER PROJECT, AND SO
WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE GEO THERMAL
EXPANSION AND LITHIUM PROJECT,
BUT CERTAINLY TO THE EXTENT THAT
YOU BUILD UPON THAT EVEN FURTHER
WITH BATTERY COMPANIES AND TRULY
BUILD OUT THE LITHIUM VALLEY
THAT I KNOW IS THE VISION. THOSE
EARLY INVESTMENTS IN
INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THOSE
COMPANIES AS WE DO ONSHORE
PRODUCTION MANUFACTURING OF A
LOT OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO
BE KEY TO GET GOING ON A LOT OF
THOSE THINGS NOW IN ORDER TO
COMPETE WITH OTHER AREAS AS
SUPERVISOR, KELLY MENTIONED.
YEAH I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
MENTION THAT, UM THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAS PROBABLY PERHAPS
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS AND
LIABILITY. AH, A LACK OF
INVESTMENT IN THE IMPERIAL
VALLEY. AND THAT'S AN ENORMOUS
AMOUNT OF MONEY. SO I UNDERSTAND
THAT EVERY YEAR THE LEGISLATURE
MAKES BUDGETARY DECISIONS. AND
WHILE WE HAVE PHENOMENAL LEADERS
IN SACRAMENTO IT IT'S STILL IT'S
A HEAVY LIFT. WHEN WE ARE, UM
HAVING TO UM. I GUESS NEGOTIATE
WITH LARGER METROPOLITAN AREAS.
AND WE ALWAYS GET OVER 100 YEARS
AS FAR AS MY MEMORY. UH IF WHAT
I'VE READ NOT PERSONALLY, UM YOU
KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DISINVESTED.
YOU CAN IMAGINE HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT MAYBE
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS. UM SO
THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS HAVE TO
SAY CAN BRING RELIEF TO
CALIFORNIA. TO LESSEN THAT
LIABILITY. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT
NOT TO PRETEND LIKE THERE AREN'T
GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. THAT'S
WHY THE INDUSTRY HAS TO STEP IN.
AND STEP FORWARD. AND NOT FIGHT
TAXES, NOT FIGHT COMMUNITY
BENEFITS, INVEST IN THE BEST
POSSIBLE TECHNOLOGIES, AND YOU
KNOW WHETHER CALIFORNIA PAYS FOR
IT, OR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OR
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
ALTOGETHER AND ALL ITS AGENCIES.
I WANT TO SEE THAT MONEY COME TO
MY COMMUNITY. I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT IT COMES IN INVESTING
IN THE BEST POSSIBLE TECHNOLOGY
SO THAT WE CAN BE THE BLUEPRINT
. WE CAN BE THE EXAMPLE FOR SO
MANY COUNTRIES. THEY'RE
EXTRACTING THESE CRITICAL
MINERALS THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN
HARMED, AND WE HAVE A LEGACY OF
POLLUTION LEFT BEHIND. WE
ALREADY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE
CURRENT SITUATION. RIGHT SO I
WANT TO SAY WE ARE OPTIMISTIC.
AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION. WE WANT TO SEE
THAT INVESTMENT. THEY WANT TO
SEE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL
MITIGATION HAPPENED FROM FROM
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TO AIR
POLLUTION AND FROM TRAFFIC. AND
AS, UM SYLVIA WAS MENTIONING, UM
THE WHOLE REGION. WE SHARE THE
SAME AIRBASE IN WE SHARE IT WITH
MEXICO. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A POOR
WE HAVE ALL THE POTENTIAL TO BE
A GREAT IMPORTER EXPORTER WITH
LEGITIMATE INLAND IMPORT PORTS.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE. WE HAVE
RESOURCES. WE HAVE LAND. BUT WE
NEED THIS INVESTMENT AND ONE
OTHER THING I WANTED TO JUST
MENTIONED QUICK AND IN TERMS OF
TRANSMISSION IT'S GREAT. WE'VE
SEEN TRANSMISSION. WE'VE SEEN
TRANSMISSION THAT TAKES THE
SOLAR. UM AND I AGREE WITH I'M
REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR, UM,
SUPERVISOR KELLY TALKED ABOUT
YOU KNOW SOME OF THE SHORT
FLOWERS ON ON THE SOLAR WE'RE
EXPORTING ALL THAT ENERGY. I'M
TRYING TO BUILD 20 ELECTRIC
VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS TODAY.
AND OUR UTILITY SIGN. WE MAY NOT
HAVE ENOUGH POWER FOR YOUR NEXT
20. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
EXPORTING MORE MASSIVE HIGHWAYS
OF POWER. WHAT ABOUT LOCALLY
WITH OUR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS
FAILING. WE NEED TO DO BOTH.
THANK YOU. THANKS YES ON THE
TOPIC OF INVESTMENTS BOTH IN
INFRASTRUCTURE OR RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF THE IDEAS
THAT RESONATED AND KEPT COMING
BACK DURING OUR COMMISSION
MEETINGS WAS THAT JUST AS THE
STATUS INCENTIVIZING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY
AND INDUSTRY THAT THE STATE AND
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN ALSO
INCENTIVIZE THE WASTE IN WHICH
THE COMMUNITIES ARE REAPING THE
BENEFITS, RIGHT. AND WE DON'T DO
THAT ENOUGH LIKE WE'LL HAND OUT
THE MONEY, BUT WE NEVER SAY WELL
IN RETURN, BUT YOU NEED TO
ENGAGE THIS. MANY PEOPLE ARE IN
RETURN. THERE NEEDS TO BE THIS
TYPES OF AGREEMENTS, AND I THINK
THAT IS A PATH THAT WE SHOULD
EXPLORE. MORE OF THAT WHEN WE
ARE USING OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS
THAT THERE IS ALSO AN INCENTIVES
FOR OUR FOR THE INDUSTRIES TO BE
ABLE TO ENGAGE AND SIT AROUND
TABLES AND BUILD THIS OUT IN A
WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GOING
TO BENEFIT. AND IF I MAY JUST
ADD REALLY QUICKLY. WE
DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THE NEED
AND REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND SEE
WHAT THAT MEANS IN A COMMUNITY
LIKE THIS, AND SO, UM, WE ARE
DEFINITELY PARTNERED WITH WITH
SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT
TAKE KIDS TO PRACTICE.
UNDERSERVED KIDS, MAKE SURE THEY
HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO VISIT
SIBLINGS AND GO TO PRACTICE AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. WE TRY TO FIND
AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTFUL TO THE
COMMUNITY AND GIVE OUR OWN
DOLLARS IN THOSE AREAS AND
CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE WE'RE
REAPING THE BENEFITS OF A
RESOURCE IN IMPERIAL VALLEY AND
AN EXCISE TAX IS SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE SOME OF
THAT STAYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND
HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THAT
WHATSOEVER. AND SO CERTAINLY THE
EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THOSE
DOLLARS STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
ARE VERY WELL SPENT, AND
SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF OUR PROJECT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE LINE
OF QUESTIONS. THAT ARE CENTERED
AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC
HEALTH AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT
THERE ARE PLENTY OF EYES, EARS
BOTH ON THE GROUND. AND UH AND
HERE YOU'VE HEARD TODAY FROM OUR
STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL CONTINUE
TO, UM ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND
ENSURE THAT THOSE ONGOING
ASSESSMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE,
AND, UH AND THAT'S BOTH FROM
INDUSTRY AS WELL AS, UM, OUR
STATE AGENCIES AND SO I CAN
APPRECIATE UH, THE TIME THAT
WE'VE SPENT ON THAT PARTICULAR
SPACE OF CONVERSATION. UM I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT ENERGY. I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT ENERGY RELIABILITY.
UM IT WAS TOUCHED IN A BIT HERE
IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE INCREASING
MEGAWATTS WITH FIRM RENEWABLES.
THINK IT'S A QUESTION FOR CC
REPRESENTATIVE BOTH OUR OUR
GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPERS AND THEN
THE COUNTY AND I THINK MR
ALMEIDA TOUCHED ON THE IDEA THAT
I'M TRYING TO DEPLOY CHARGING
STATIONS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH ENERGY TO WIRE THOSE UP.
UM THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THE
LITHIUM CONVERSATION. IS THAT
IT'S I'VE REFERRED TO IT IN THE
PAST AS A KIND OF A SECONDARY.
BYPRODUCT. OF CREATING ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT FOR RELIABILITY
PURPOSES IN THE STATES, SO I'VE
MENTIONED WHO PERHAPS CAN TOUCH
UNDER THE REAL QUESTION IS HOW
BENEFICIAL IS IT TO INCREASE OUR
ENERGY CAPACITY IN THIS AREA TO
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA?
COMPLIMENTARY IS THE LITHIUM
RECOVERY PROCESS. BUT CAN WE
FOCUS A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON ON
THE ENERGY PIECE OF THIS? SO
FROM THE ENERGY COMMISSION
PERSPECTIVE, IT'S VITAL THAT WE
INCREASE OUR RELIABILITY
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THEN IN
THIS AREA IN PARTICULAR, THERE
IS A MAJOR GAP. THERE'S A MAJOR
NEED. UH SO I DID HEAR FROM
COMMUNITY WHEN I VISITED ABOUT
HOW YOU KNOW THE LINES WOULD
COME DOWN AND THEN COMMUNITIES
WOULD BE ISOLATED AND WOULDN'T
EVEN BE ABLE TO GET OUT TO GET
FOOD. SO IT'S A REALLY TERRIBLE
SITUATION. UH AND ENERGY
COMMISSION IS FOCUSED ON
INCREASING OUR RELIABILITY.
THAT'S ANOTHER COMMISSIONER WHO
LEADS THAT WORK. UM, BUT WE CAN
DEFINITELY PARTICIPATE IN THOSE
CONVERSATIONS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WHAT MORE WE CAN DO, AND WE ALSO
ARE. WE HAVE THREE APPLICATIONS
FOR GEOTHERMAL NOT RELATED TO
LITHIUM, BUT WE ARE CONSIDERING
THOSE THOSE ARE YOU KNOW THAT
PROCESS STARTING TO MOVE
FORWARD. CAN'T GET IN. TO TOO
MANY DETAILS HERE. UM BECAUSE OF
THE, YOU KNOW CONFIDENTIALITY OF
SOME OF IT, BUT UM, YOU KNOW,
THOSE THOSE ARE WAYS. BRINGING
ON MORE GEOTHERMAL IS AN EXAMPLE
. AND IT'S IN THAT AREA AND
THERE'S BEEN A CALL OUT BY THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION FOR
ADDITIONAL MEGAWATTS IN THE FIRM
RENEWABLES, RIGHT? AND SO THE
ALIGNMENT COULDN'T BE BETTER IN
TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO REAP
THE CO BENEFITS. THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE? ABSOLUTELY
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO WE ALSO
HAVE THE OPT IN PERMITTING
PROCESS, WHICH IS ANOTHER AREA
THAT I'M LEADING, UH SO THAT WE
CAN BRING ON MORE RENEWABLES AND
BE ABLE TO RELY ON THOSE AS
OPPOSED TO FOSSIL FUELS. WHAT
WOULD ANY OF THE CHURCH
SUPERVISOR. SO THANK YOU. CHAIR
GARCIA, THE IMPERIAL COUNTY, THE
KNOWN GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE AREA
AT THE SALTON SEA IS ONE OF
MULTIPLE RESOURCES FOR
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND IMPERIAL
COUNTY. THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE
BASE LOAD RENEWABLE POWER OUT OF
IMPERIAL COUNTY. IS WELL BEYOND
, UM, WHICH HE'S BEING TALKED
ABOUT TODAY OF ADDING JUST UNDER
400 MEGAWATTS. THERE IS AREAS ON
OUR EAST MESA. THERE'S AREAS OUT
ON EAST HIGHLINE AND THE HEBREW
AREA IN BETWEEN BRAWLEY AND
CALIPATRIA. A LOT OF RESOURCES,
AND IT IS A VERY SEISMIC AREA.
THAT'S WHY THE RESOURCES THERE
UM, SO THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING
THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR MANY
YEARS, AND THE RPS IS ONLY NOW
COMING TO THE REALIZATION IT
NEEDS IT. AND THAT'S WHY I
MENTIONED IT EARLIER. THAT I'M
HAPPY TO. WE'RE HAVING THE
CONVERSATION TODAY. AND THAT THE
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION MADE
THAT CHANGE IN 2021. BUT THERE'S
MORE. THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE
THERE, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT
THE TEXT MESSAGES. UM LAST WEEK
ABOUT THE KALLIAS SO AND THE.
SCHEDULED OR COULD BE POTENTIAL
OUTAGES. LOOK, UH THERE'S A
RESOURCE. IT'S HERE. IT'S IN MY
BACKYARD. LET'S COME MAKE USE OF
IT. YES AND I AGREE. THE PUBLIC
UTILITY COMMISSIONS ORDER FOR
1000 MEGAWATTS OF BASIC CLEAN
BASE LOAD. ENERGY HAS REALLY
BROUGHT LIFE TO, UM, THE
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE THAT WE'VE
HAD, REALLY FOR. FOR ALL THIS
TIME, GEOTHERMAL HAS BEEN FOR
THE LAST 10 YEARS OF VERY
CHALLENGING. AH RESOURCE TO
DEVELOP BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING
WITH SOLAR THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE
THE SAME BENEFITS AND, UM IT'S
VERY APPARENT NOW IN THE WAY THE
MARKET OPERATES, AND THERE'S AN
APPRECIATION FOR IT THAT WENT
INTO THAT ORDER. UM AND IT GOES
FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO DEVELOP
GEOTHERMAL TO DEVELOP IT VERY
QUICKLY AND GET IT ONLINE VERY
QUICKLY, AND SO DEFINITELY
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN. AND REALLY JUST IN
THE NICK OF TIME. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN. TO PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE, THOUGH, WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE STATE,
THE STATE'S PORTFOLIO ONLY HAS A
6% OF GEOTHERMAL. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT. UM THE
WIN WIN SITUATION THAT IS IN
FRONT OF US WHEN IT COMES TO THE
STATES ENERGY NEEDS UH, THE
REGION'S NEEDS, BUT THE CO
BENEFITS THAT NOW COME WITH
THIS, UM, OPPORTUNITY OF
DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL MEGA
WATCHING THE GEOTHERMAL SPACE. I
WANTED TO ASK QUESTIONS TO MR
MELLOW AND CHAIR PASS IN TERMS
OF WHAT ARE THE REMAINING
QUESTIONS ANXIETIES THAT THAT WE
HEAR ON THE GROUND? AS IT
RELATES TO, UM, LITHIUM RECOVERY
IN THE REGION. UM SOME HAVE BEEN
TOUCHED ON IN THE PROCESS OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT MR COLONY HAVE
ASKED. BUT PERHAPS YOU MISSED 11
THAT COMES TO MIND. WE WANT TO
HEAR THOSE PERSPECTIVES. WHAT
ARE THE REMAINING? I THINK WE'VE
SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING
ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND IT
HAVING MINIMAL FOOTPRINT
IMPACTS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE
OTHER ISSUES THAT FOLKS ARE
TALKING ABOUT, UM, THAT YOU
MIGHT BE HEARING. WE'D LOVE TO
KIND OF HEAR FROM YOU DIRECTLY.
WHAT? THOSE MAYBE DEEP. YES SO
WE WE'VE BEEN DOING COMMUNITY
MEETINGS. UM PART OF THOSE ARE.
I DON'T KNOW PART OF THE
PROGRAMMATICALLY IR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS AS WELL AS
OTHER MEETINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN
CONDUCTING, AND REPEATED THEME
IS, UM A WHILE. THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR LITHIUM EXTRACTION IS THERE.
THERE IS THE FEAR OF WHAT'S
THERE RIGHT NOW. WHICH IS THAT
SALT AND SEA. AND THE PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUES. WE JUST HAD A
MEETING ABOUT INFORMING THE
COMMUNITY OF SORT OF THE
PROGRESS OF THE PROGRAMMATIC ER
, AND SO MANY OF IT WAS ABOUT
THEIR HEALTH, THEIR LACK OF
ACCESS TO HEALTH, THE LACK OF
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE CENTERS. UM
ASKED MYSELF FIRST, THE CHILDREN
SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA. WE'VE HAD
CHILDREN DIE AROUND NEAR THE
SONG AND SEE, UH BECAUSE OF NOT
HAVING ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE SO
THAT THAT'S A REPEATED AND I AND
I KNOW IT'S MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S
DISCONNECTED, BUT THEY DO SEE
THEY WANT INFORMATION. THEY WANT
FACTS. THEY WANT DATA. OF WHAT'S
WHAT'S TO BE EXPECTED. IN TERMS
OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH,
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WHEN IT
COMES TO THE CUMULATIVE COMING
FROM. WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN
THERE. I HEARD A 40 YEAR. UM,
TERM. WHERE IS THAT DATA? YOU
KNOW? IS IT A LITTLE BIT? IS IT
A LOT? LIKE WE DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH AH POLLUTION IS THERE. AND
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHEN YOU
BRING IN A NEW, UH, INDUSTRY
THAT WILL BIG. I GUESS FAT FROM
THE BRIAN'S WHAT IS THAT GOING
TO CREATE AS WELL? SO THESE ARE
THESE ARE CONCERNS. UM UH, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND I'VE I'VE
JUST YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DRIVING
ONE. AND SO I'VE BEEN DOING A
LOT OF SURVEYING, AND IT'S
INTERESTING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
DRIVING THROUGH THE IMPERIAL
VALLEY COMING FROM? COACHELLA
COMING FROM LOS ANGELES FROM
OTHER STATES, ARIZONA, NEVADA,
UH, SOME PEOPLE COMING FROM
PHOENIX AND REGULARLY TRAVEL
THESE ROUTES AND UNDERWEIGHTED
THERE. THERE IS A LOT OF, UM
THERE IS WHAT IS TROUBLE
UNCERTAINTY FEAR BECAUSE OF
CHARGERS AND I'VE COME TO
REALIZE THAT NOW THAT I'M
DRIVING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, I
REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T EVEN
REALIZE THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY
HAVE LIKE THE FAST CHARGERS. AND
NOW THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE
CHARGES ARE CHARGING AT 31
KILOWATTS WAS LIKE OKAY, NOW I
SEE WHY IT TAKES THREE HOURS AT
BEST TO CHARGE FULL CHARGE,
RIGHT? THAT'S ON THE LEVEL.
THREE FOR QUOTE THAT WE HAVE SO
, UM THE YOU KNOW, OTHERS HAVE
SAID, WELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO
TRANSITION INTO ELECTRIC
VEHICLES ARE NOT AFFORDABLE. SO
WHAT I'LL SAY TO THIS, UM, IS
THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
IT'S PHENOMENAL. HOW MUCH MONEY
IS GOING INTO THIS TRANSITION?
WE FULLY SUPPORTED. I THINK
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO
BE DONE, WHETHER IT'S THE POLICY
LEVEL. AND TO CLEAN UP POLICY
MAKE THEM MORE AFFORDABLE. MORE
INVESTMENTS GOING INTO RURAL
CALIFORNIA WOULD SAY THAT THE
EASTERN HALF OF CALIFORNIA NEEDS
INVESTMENTS. LITHIUM VALLEY WE
ARE THE BANNER FOR THE UNITED
STATES. WHEN IT COMES TO LITHIUM
EXTRACTION. WE SHOULD BE POURING
DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE THESE CHARGES ACCESSIBLE
AND CARS TO BE AFFORDABLE. UH, I
ACTUALLY THINK THERE IS
AFFORDABILITY TWO CARS, BUT
BECAUSE THE CHARGES AREN'T
THERE. THE MINDSET IS WHAT WE
CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR. WE DON'T
HAVE CHARGERS, RIGHT? SO THOSE
ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I
THAT I WOULD SAY THAT THAT ARE
IN UH, GREAT CONCERN. THE OTHER
LAST THING I'LL SAY IS UM YOU
KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER
THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
MENTIONED. BUT WE HAVE A LONG
HISTORY. AND THIS KEEPS COMING
UP FROM A LOT OF EXPERIENCE
ADVOCATES AND IT'S ALWAYS THAT
TRADE OFF WILL YOU WANT JOBS?
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRADE OFF.
RIGHT JOBS OR INDUSTRY, RIGHT
POLLUTION OR FOOD ON THE TABLE,
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE LIVING
AT A POINT IN TIME THAT WE CAN
KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD
ANYMORE. WE ALREADY HAVE CRISIS
IS WITH THE MOST POLLUTED RIVERS
FLOWING THROUGH INTERNATIONALLY
INTO THE IMPERIAL VALLEY THE
SALT AND SEES THE FACT THAT WE
DON'T WE FAILED REPEATEDLY TO
MEET FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR CLEAN
WATER. CLEAN AIR. YOU KNOW, SO I
THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE
IT'S LIKE, NO, IT SHOULDN'T BE
ONE OR THE OTHER. IT'S JUST IT
CAN BE ALL OF IT. AND IF THE
INDUSTRY CAN AFFORD IT, I
ENCOURAGE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IN THE STATE TO INVEST BECAUSE
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO
GET OFF DEPENDENCY OF OTHER MORE
HARMFUL FUELS AND BE ABLE TO
CREATE A DOMESTIC SUPPLY OF
ENERGY. UM, FOR TRANSPORTATION
AND OTHER USES. THANK YOU.
PICTURE. THANK YOU, MR MEDAL,
AND I WILL ADD TO WHAT MR
MEADOWS SAID, UM, ECHOING THE
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS THE ENTIRE
SALTON SEA REGION TRANSLATING
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INTO
PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS. UM AND I
THINK THE BIG QUESTIONS
SURROUNDING THIS HAS BEEN WHO
BENEFITS AND WHAT IS THE COST,
RIGHT? SO PEOPLE ARE WONDERING,
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A REGION
LIKE OURS WILL GET TO REAP THE
ENTIRE BENEFITS OF A LITHIUM
SUPPLY CHAIN? WHEN WE'RE
STRUGGLING TO KEEP OUR OWN
LIGHTS ON WHEN WE'RE STRUGGLING
TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET WHEN
WE DO NOT HAVE DEPENDENT
TRANSPORTATION DO NOT HAVE
DEPENDENT ROADS. THERE IS A LACK
OF HOUSING. AND SO ALL OF THIS
IS IN THE BACKDROP OF A PROMISE
RIGHT TO CHANGE. AND I MEAN,
THERE IS, UM I DON'T WANT TO END
IT WITH ALL SKEPTICISM. I DO
BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
AND WITH THE DOLLARS ONE TIME
DOLLARS THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT
NOW FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
, UM TO REALLY CONCENTRATE. ON A
STRATEGY THAT'S GOING TO UPLIFT
THIS REGION AND REALLY SET IT UP
TO BUILD OUT ON THE REGION ON
THE REGION'S POTENTIAL. UM AND
THE OTHER QUESTION, EVEN AMONG
SOUTHEAST PROMISES. WHAT WILL IT
LOOK LIKE WHEN PEOPLE SEE
GEOTHERMAL PLANTS? UM AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT INCREASING THOSE
GEOTHERMAL PLANTS? WHAT IS GOING
TO BE THE ALTERED PHYSICAL BUILT
ENVIRONMENT? IS IT POLICING TO
THE EYES? DO I WANT TO BE LIVING
NEAR UM THEM SO YEAH, THAT'S A
EXCELLENT POINT. WE OFTEN TIMES
WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE GEOTHERMAL
PLANTS AND THEY SEE THE STEAM
THE IMMEDIATE REACTION IS THAT
THAT'S POLLUTION RIGHT? THAT
THAT IS, UH, CARBON UP IN THE
AIR SUPERVISOR. SOME. YOU KNOW,
TOUCHED ON THE OFF TAKERS. YOU
KNOW WHAT? WHAT IS IT THAT THAT
YOU SEE AT THE COUNTY IN TERMS
OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT IS
DEVELOPING AROUND THE LITHIUM
RECOVERY PROCESS? ENERGY
PRODUCTION. UM AND ARE YOU AT UH
, AT A POINT WHERE YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE
PUBLICLY KNOWN OFF TAKERS? UM
WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY ARE WHAT
THAT BRINGS TO THE COUNTY FOR
THE FOLKS THAT YOU REPRESENT IN
THAT IN THAT REGION. WELL THANK
YOU, CHAIR GARCIA. AND YOU
PROBABLY KNOW THAT WHAT THE
RESPONSES BUT I CAN'T SAY THE
SPECIFIC COMPANIES. WE HAVE BEEN
MEETING WITH BATTERY COMPANIES.
UM, SOME OF THE WITH SOME OF THE
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE HOLDERS HAVE
OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS WITH GENERAL
MOTORS. FORD STILL LANTUS FOR
SUPPLYING LITHIUM CARBONATE OR
LITHIUM HYDROXIDE. WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO CATHODE COMPANIES,
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. WE'VE BEEN
TALKING TO BATTERY COMPANIES.
MOSTLY FOREIGN. AND. UM THEY'RE
TALKING ABOUT COHABITATION OR CO
LOCATION IN LITHIUM VALLEY.
THERE WAS ONE COMPANY THAT HAS
BOUGHT LAND PURCHASE THAT IS
LOOKING AT DOING A BATTERY PLANT
OUTSIDE OF LITHIUM VALLEY. UM SO
WHAT I FEEL I CAN SAY
COMFORTABLY IS THAT THERE WILL
BE NEW GEOTHERMAL. POWER
GENERATION AND IMPERIAL COUNTY.
THERE WILL BE MINERAL EXTRACTION
IN IMPERIAL COUNTY. THE
MANUFACTURING. IS HE OPEN
QUESTION IN MY MIND. BECAUSE
THERE HAS TO BE POLICY DIRECTION
AND COORDINATION NOW. AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER CHOICES ARE
BEING MADE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS
HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON TRYING TO
IDENTIFY AND GET INTO THE
CONVERSATION WITH UM, COS YOU'RE
VERY FAMILIAR WITH IN NAME AND
BRAND THAT ARE ANNOUNCING
LOCATIONS IN INDIANA, MICHIGAN.
TENNESSEE. AND UH, AND SOME OF
THEM WE HAVE SPOKEN TO BUT
THEY'RE CONTINUING NOT TO. MAKE
THAT FINAL CHOICE. OF CALIFORNIA
. AND SO I KNOW THAT
COMMISSIONER GALLARDO IS SPOKEN
TO THAT TO YOU TODAY ABOUT
CONSOLIDATING THE STATE
RESOURCES AND PUTTING A POINT
PERSON TOGETHER. WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED A LITHIUM VALLEY
OFFICE TO BE THAT LIAISON
BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC
SECTOR. AND WE ARE REALLY HOPING
AND IT MADE THAT REQUEST THAT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
ESTABLISHED THAT REPRESENTATIVE
FOR THE STATE ASSET IN IMPERIAL
COUNTY AS WELL. IN ADDITION, UH,
AND SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO
MISS SNAP IS THAT THERE IS A
STATE AGENCY CALLED CAL JIM
UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION. THAT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE DRILLING
THAT WILL BE OCCURRING AND
OVERSEEING THAT THEY USED TO
HAVE AN OFFICE IN EL CENTRO,
CALIFORNIA. THEY CLOSED IT ABOUT
SIX YEARS AGO TO CONSOLIDATE
RESOURCES INTO THE L A BASIN.
WE'VE TALKED TO CAL JIM. THEY
ARE TRYING TO GEAR UP. IN
KNOWING OF THE AMOUNT OF NEED
THAT WILL BE AN IMPERIAL VALLEY.
UM AND WE ARE SUPPORTING. THE
IDEA THAT THEY COME BACK AND
RELOCATE WHERE THE GEOTHERMAL
RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE
DEVELOPED. THANK YOU. WE'VE SEEN
. WE'VE ALSO READ MORE RECENTLY
THAT SOME OF OUR GEOTHERMAL
DEVELOPERS. LITHIUM COMPANIES
HAVE RECEIVED SOME STATE UM.
GRANTS IN THE RANGE OF
10,000,030 MILLION. WHETHER IT
BE THE CAPITAL PROGRAM GO BEARS
, UM, INNOVATION DOLLARS. UM
LAST YEAR'S BUDGET HAD
UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF
INVESTMENT IN THIS SPACE. UM AND
FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE,
IMPERIAL COUNTY DEVELOPMENT OF
LITHIUM ECONOMY. WE HAVE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY HERE WITH US TODAY. UH
UM. WE IN MY OPINION, I HAVE NOT
SEEN THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY. AND
INVESTMENT THAT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAS PUT FORWARD. UM
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW
YEARS ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM.
GENTLEMAN IS WITH US RIGHT NOW.
STEPHEN BOYD. DO WE HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR HIM? ANYONE ON THE
PANEL? UM ANYONE APPEAR BECAUSE
I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE FULL
ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT, UH,
THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION AND
PERHAPS SOME POTENTIAL DIRECTION
THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE TO
SEE OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS MOVE.
IN THIS SPACE AS UM, EFFICIENTLY
AND COMMITTED AS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAS OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS, PLEASE. YES, UM TWO
THINGS REAL QUICK. WELL, ONE IS,
UM IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY. AT SOME POINT,
HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER TO
HAVE A TAX THAT WILL GET
REINVESTED BACK. SO IT IS
DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT
THERE'S EFFORTS TO REPEAL THAT
TAX. AND I HOPE THAT THE
INDUSTRIES THAT ARE SEEKING TO
BUILD AN IMPERIAL OR NOT.
SUBSCRIBING TO THAT. THE VERY
IMPORTANT THING TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINE, SHE
DECIDED WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE
CALLS FROM APPLICANTS. WHO ARE
NOW SEEKING. FUNDING FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY, WHERE THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY AND MAYBE THE GENTLEMAN
WHO'S THE GUEST WHO'S A DOING
TESTIMONY TODAY FROM DEPARTMENT
OF MANAGEMENT CAN MAYBE SHED
LIGHT ON THAT, BUT THESE
INDUSTRIES ARE SHOWING UP IN OUR
COMMUNITIES INSANE. HEY AS A
REQUIREMENT OF US ACCENTS IN
THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS, WE NEED
TO COME UP WITH THE COMMUNITY
BENEFITS AGREEMENT AND A SIGNED
AGREEMENT, NOT JUST VERBAL
SIGNED AGREEMENTS SO REALLY
HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. THAT MORE OF
THAT IS ALSO DONE AT THE STATE
LEVEL BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
EVERYBODY'S BUT THEN YOU KNOW,
WE SEE ALL THESE UH, CHINA GO
AROUND THAT, BUT HOPEFULLY THE
GENTLEMAN FROM DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON
THAT, MR BOYD. SURE AND I
APOLOGIZE. I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN
HEAR ME. OKAY, UM YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE ARE ASKING FOR COMMUNITY
BENEFITS AGREEMENT, UH, AS PART
OF PROJECTS THAT ARE RESPONDING
AT LEAST TO THE BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE OF LAW THAT I
MENTIONED. AND UM AND CORRECT
THE MORE THEY CAN PROVIDED WITH
THAT, THE BETTER I YOU KNOW, UM
AS SORT OF OTHER FOLKS HAVE
MENTIONED. I DON'T THINK I COULD
SHARE PARTICULARS FROM SOME OF
THE PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED. BUT
I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL HAVE
RECOGNIZED THAT AND THAT'S UM
YOU KNOW, BEEN HELPFUL. THANK
YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR US?
YES, SUPERVISOR. SURE YOU KNOW
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE COUNTY
PARTNERED WITH BERKSHIRE
HATHAWAY, RENEWABLE ON AN
APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY. IT WAS A MATCHING GRANT
THAT THE COMPANY WAS WAS LOOKING
TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN LITHIUM
VALLEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND
ALSO COMMUNITY AND, UM,
EDUCATION PIECES. UM AND THEN,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DID NOT GET
FUNDED IN THE FIRST ROUND IN
OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER OF 2022.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE MAKING OUR
OWN SUBMISSION IN THIS ROUND.
BUT IT WAS AFTER HAVING THE
SECRETARY OF ENERGY VISIT THE
SITE. AFTER HAVING MULTIPLE
VISITS FROM ELEMENTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND KNOWING
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RESOURCE. AND THEN THE CHOICE IS
IT KIND OF MADE ME SCRATCH MY
HEAD OF WHY THEY MADE THE
CHOICES THEY MADE IN THE
LOCATIONS THAT THEY APPROVED
WHEN CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN SETTING
THE POLICY AND THEN THIS
RESOURCES SO SIGNIFICANT. AND I
WOULD ASK IF ALICIA WANTED TO
ADD TO THAT QUESTION. THANK YOU
. SO UM YES, THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT SUPERVISOR KELLY IS
REFERRING TO, I THINK, UM, IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR. I KNOW
PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO KNOW WHY
OUR PROJECT WASN'T SELECTED. UM
WHAT WE'RE MOST INTERESTED IN
KNOWING AND CERTAINLY WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS IS, UM
, UNDERSTANDING THAT SO THAT
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES THE PROJECT
IS EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE FOR
THOSE, UM SO CERTAINLY ENTRY
INFORMATION, I'M SURE IS WELCOME
FOR EVERYONE, BUT SPECIFICALLY
WHEN IT RELATES TO THE COMMUNITY
BENEFITS PLAN, WHAT I WOULD SAY
IS UM WE DID WORK TOGETHER TO
PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY
BENEFITS PLAN WITH A LOT OF
LOCAL ENTITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS
AND SUBMITTED THAT WITH PART OF
THE APPLICATION, AND TO THE
EXTENT THAT THERE'S ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
APPROPRIATE FOR US TO
PARTICIPATE IN. THAT'S NOT AN
EFFORT THAT STARTS AGAIN. ONCE
THE OPPORTUNITY COMES OUT, IT'S
AN ONGOING EFFORT FOR US. SO
REGARDLESS OF IF THERE'S A DEAL
WE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. UM I DO
BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE A VERY ROBUST
COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN, AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE
TALKING WITH, UM PEOPLE LOCALLY
ABOUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE
THEIR CONCERNS. HOW DO WE
ADDRESS CONCERNS? WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO BE A GOOD PARTNER IN
THIS COMMUNITY? WE HAVE A PRETTY
GOOD IDEA SINCE WE'RE HERE. BUT
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE
READY TO GO FOR THE NEXT
OPPORTUNITY. CERTAINLY NOT AN
EFFORT THAT WAS JUST FOR THE
DOUGHY APPLICATION. THANK YOU,
MR MR BOYD. UH ANY THOUGHTS OF
FEEDBACK ON THOSE POINTS THAT
WERE JUST MADE BY SUPERVISOR,
PHD REPRESENTATIVE YEAH. I MEAN,
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S
NECESSARILY A QUESTION THERE,
BUT I WILL. I WILL SAY, YOU
KNOW, I APPRECIATE WE, OF COURSE
, HAD MANY APPLICATIONS IN OUR
FIRST ROUND AND MANY OF THEM
WERE VERY GOOD. UM AND SO YOU
KNOW, WE, UM I KNOW INDIVIDUAL
APPLICANTS RECEIVED COMMENTS
DIRECTLY. UM, BUT OTHER THAN
THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY
NOT MUCH, UM, THAT THAT WE CAN
SAY FROM A PROCUREMENT LIKE THIS
, BUT I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE A
LOT OF WHAT FOLKS SAID. WE
UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW, THESE
PROJECTS ARE LARGE EFFORTS
CENTER AND ARE CONTINUALLY
ONGOING. AND YOU KNOW, WE DO. UM
WE, YOU KNOW, AND WE ALSO
RECOGNIZE THAT YOU KNOW IT.
ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A
LOT TO THAT POINT, WE CONTINUE
TO LEARN MORE ON THESE. AND SO,
UM YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE FOLKS
STAYING ENGAGED WITH US. AND
DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO
BEING ABLE TO DO ANOTHER ROUND
FOR THESE PROJECTS. THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM
COMMISSIONER GALLARDO. MR BOYD.
I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE'S
ANYTHING ELSE THAT CALIFORNIA
CAN DO TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY. UH PROVIDE MORE
RESOURCES SUPPORT ETCETERA TO
CALIFORNIA AND JUST OFFERING AS
AN EXAMPLE WE DID HAVE THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE COME DO A VISIT TO
THE IMPERIAL VALLEY AREA TO GET
TO MORE FAMILIAR WITH LITHIUM
VALLEY AND ITS POSSIBILITIES. IS
THERE ANYTHING ELSE? UH THAT WE
CAN DO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
YEAH VERY MUCH RECOGNIZE AND
APPRECIATE. NOT ONLY DID THE
EFFORT AND PLANNING THE VISIT,
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW THE, UM THE
HELP THAT YOU ALL, UH, PROVIDED
US AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, ALL THE
PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FOLKS
THAT WE WENT AND SAW IT WAS
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. NO, NO
ADDITIONAL ASKING THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BOYD.
JUST ONE LAST QUESTION. AND THAT
WOULD BE YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT
SHOULD THE LOCALS BE LOOKING OUT
FOR AS IT RELATES TO THE NEXT
ROUND OF FUNDING CATEGORIES THAT
ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE
APPLICABLE TO OUR PARTICULAR
REGION. THIS PARTICULAR
TECHNOLOGY, GIVEN THE STRONG
EMPHASIS ON CRITICAL MINERALS BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
MAKING LARGE INVESTMENTS IN
ECONOMICALLY MARGINALIZED
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. WITH
WHAT WHAT SHOULD WE AS A STATE
COLLECTIVELY WITH OUR PARTNERS
HERE? EXPECT TO TOO AMBITIOUSLY
PURSUE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?
UH AS WE CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THIS
REGION OF THE STATE SENATOR,
ROUND ELECTRIFICATION AND ENERGY
RELIABILITY. YEAH, IT'S
DEFINITELY A BROAD QUESTION THAT
I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ALL THE
RIGHT ANSWERS TO, UM I MEAN, I
KNOW INDIVIDUALLY, OUR OFFICE
MANUFACTURING ENERGY SUPPLY
CHAINS HAS AN EMAIL LIST WHERE
WE SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS FOR
OPEN PROGRAMS THAT WE RELEASED
MANY OF THOSE WHICH MAY APPLY OR
BE OF INTEREST TO YOU ALL, BUT
CERTAINLY OTHER DULY OFFICERS DO
THIS AND SIMILAR AREAS. AND UM
AND I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE EFFORTS
TO ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS SUCH
AS YOURSELVES THAT WE CAN THAT
WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH PEOPLE
LIKE THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'RE
GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY, MR BOYD AND ALL OF THE
WITNESSES HERE. WE DO HAVE A
SECTION FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR
THOSE WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY
IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE TOP OF
THE AGENDA AND PERHAPS USE A 30
SECONDS EACH INDIVIDUAL, YOU
KNOW WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF YOUR
CLOSING REMARKS, UM, TO TODAY'S
HEARING. AND SO WE'LL START WITH
THE CHAIR. THANK YOU AGAIN. I
WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE IS
MANY COLD BENEFITS NOT JUST FOR
ENERGY, BUT FOR WHAT OUR
COMMUNITIES CAN LOOK LIKE. AND
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK
HOW WE CAN MEASURE SUCCESS ON
THIS ENERGY TRANSITION IS NOT
GOING TO BE ON WHETHER THE
INDUSTRY FIGURED OUT THE BEST
TECHNOLOGY TO GET OUT. YOU KNOW,
TO EXTRACT LITHIUM. IT'S REALLY
GOING TO BE ON HOW OUR
COMMUNITIES ARE. WHAT THEY LOOK
LIKE. ARE THEY HEALTHIER AND
THRIVING, AND I THINK THAT'S THE
MEASUREMENT THAT WE SHOULD BE
KEEPING IN MIND. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR GARCIA AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. UM
I'LL JUST LEAVE WITH AN ACTION
ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN
TO GIVE YOU A MORE COMPREHENSIVE
REPORT ONCE WE STARTED CONVENING
THE STATE AGENCY PARTNERS
WORKING A LITTLE BIT MORE
CLOSELY WITH THE FEDERAL
OPPORTUNITIES THAT I SEE WITH
THE MILITARY IN PARTICULAR. UM
AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU MORE OF
THAT INFORMATION AND WHAT WE'RE
DOING ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS
INTO ADVANCE THOSE THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME. THANK YOU. CHAIR
GARCIA JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE
OPPORTUNITY IS NOW AND THAT I
KNOW THAT THE STATE IS
MARSHALING ENFORCES. WITH
COMMISSIONER GALLARDO AND WE
WANT TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH
THEM. I RECOGNIZE YOUR CALL TO
DEPARTMENT ENERGY WOULD LOVE TO
BE ABLE TO SEE THEM. WALKING IN
LOCKSTEP WITH US AS WELL TO
PROMOTE THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND I
WOULD SAY THANK YOU, MR CHAIR
FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. UM
THIS THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR CONCERNS AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING
THEM IN OUR PROJECT PLANNING AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH OUR
LITHIUM AND GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS,
UM, PARTICIPATING IN THE LITHIUM
VALLEY COMMISSION. AND BEING
ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF THAT
FEEDBACK DELIVERED TO US IN THE
REPORT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, SO
WE CAN. UM IF WE DON'T HEAR THE
CONCERNS, WE MIGHT MISS THEM AND
THEY'LL GET RAISED AT SOME POINT
IN TIME. AND SO IT'S BEST FOR
ALL OF US IF WE'RE ABLE TO WORK
TOGETHER EARLY AND OFTEN, AND
THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. AND ALSO
FROM ALL OF THE MY FELLOW PANEL
PARTICIPANTS. IT'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET
TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT HOW TO
DELIVER THIS THE RIGHT WAY FOR
THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN. UM. I'M JUST GONNA
MENTION THAT ENERGY SOURCE.
MINERALS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS, HAS HOSTED TWO COMMUNITY
FORUMS. UM AND THEY WERE BOTH
ADVERTISED IN THE PAPER ON THE
RADIO, AND WE HAD OVER 150.
PEOPLE ATTEND EACH OF THEM, SO
THERE IS DEFINITELY A BUZZ IN
THE COMMUNITY. WE HOSTED THOSE
FORUMS FOR THE FOR THE REASONS
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW TO
EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY TO DISPEL
MYTHS AND TO ANSWER THEIR
QUESTIONS, SO AH, GREAT TURNOUT
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
BE VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK THANK YOU. TOMATO. THANK
YOU JUST HAVE THREE ASKED. AND
ONE IS THAT, UM THAT THE
LEGISLATURE AND EVERYONE ELSE
WHO IS A KEY UM, PLAYER IN THIS
WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL YIELD A
SUCCESS. IS THAT. LEAST
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COMMUNITY
CANNOT AFFORD ANY HARM. THIS IS
THIS CANNOT BE LIKE THE
TRADITIONAL NEGOTIATIONS WHERE
OUR LITTLE HARM AND YOU KNOW FOR
A JOB LIKE THIS. THERE IS NO
OPPORTUNITY FOR HARMON CLERK.
COVID PROVED THAT BY HAVING THE
MOST AMOUNT OF HARM AS A RESULT
OF COVID. UM RESPECT THE FENCE
LINE COMMUNITIES. KNOW THE
GEOGRAPHY NOR THE SONGS. HE IS
NOWHERE. THE CLOSEST COMMUNITIES
ARE IN GIVE THEM DIGNITY, GIVEN
RESPECT. DON'T EMPOWER THEM, PUT
THEM IN POSITIONS OF POWER AND
GIVE THEM A VOICE. AND THAT'S
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA INTO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND EVERYONE
ELSE INVOLVED. AND FINALLY, IT'S
DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT
WHENEVER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY
, ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYONE IS
ABOUT LITHIUM VALLEY AND
EVERYONE IS THE BROKER OF THE
NEGOTIATIONS. THE PEOPLE THAT
I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF IN MY
LIFE, KNOCKING DOORS OF
WASHINGTON, KNOCKING ON THE
DOORS OF SACRAMENTO. UM PLEASE
KNOW THE COMMUNITY TALK TO US.
WERE THERE. RIGHT TALK TO OUR
REGION, WHERE THERE AND, UH AS
FAR AS THE INVESTMENTS COMING
OUT OF SACRAMENTO, AND
PARTICULARLY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. PLEASE PLEASE INVEST
ON MAIN STREET, NOT JUST WALL
STREET. INVEST IN MAIN STREET WE
CAN BUILD. WE CAN DO LOCAL
PROJECTS. WE CAN BE THE SILICON
VALLEY. THAT'S WHY IT'S A
LITHIUM VALLEY. INVEST LOCALLY.
HELP US CREATE STARTUPS HELP US
BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE. HELP US
MAKE CHARGING STATIONS. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT
TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING
HERE TODAY AND TRAVELING TO
SACRAMENTO TO INFORM THE
LEGISLATURE ON THE WORK THAT'S
BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR
WITH THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION REPORT. IT'S ALSO A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MY
COLLEAGUES TO HEAR. UH WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OUR REGION ISN'T
JUST AND EDUARDO GARCIA PROJECT
. UH, AN IMPERIAL COUNTY
PROJECT. THIS IS A GLOBAL. AH
AND NATIONAL, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO
ACHIEVE OUR AMBITIOUS CLIMATE
AND ENERGY GOALS IN THIS NATION.
AND SO THE MORE WE ARE SETTING
THE CONTEXT IN THAT MANNER, I
THINK THE IMPACT BECOMES LARGER
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE
LEGISLATURE, AND IT ISN'T JUST A
SPECIAL ASKED BY THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS THAT AREA
. THIS IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS
OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS ENTIRE
COUNTRY, AND SO I WANTED AGAIN.
JUST EMPHASIZE THAT ON HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS THAT YOUR
PRESENCE HERE TODAY AND GIVING
AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT'S
BEING DONE WITH THAT AGAIN.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN
IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT
THIS TIME. ANYONE WISHING TO
SPEAK TO THE JOINT HEARING. YOU
MAY DO SO PLEASE STEP FORWARD
YOUR NAME AFFILIATION. AND UH
AND IF YOU CAN DO SO, IN LESS
THAN A MINUTE, I THINK EVERYONE
WOULD APPRECIATE IT. MR CHAIRMAN
MEMBERS LESS THAN A MINUTE, UM
MIKE MONEGAN'S BEHALF OF THE
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES
COUNCIL. FIRST OF ALL, THANK
CHAIR PAUSE AND THE REST OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND
ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DID
OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. AH
LIKE TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON
WHAT MR OLMEDO TALKED ABOUT WITH
RESPECT TO PRINT PROJECT, LABOR
AGREEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE
AGREEMENTS. THESE ARE THE
VEHICLES THAT CREATE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE THE
VEHICLES THAT TAKE A JOB AND
TURN IT INTO A CAREER. WE'RE NOT
TALKING ABOUT A SINGLE JOB.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE
MEN AND WOMEN, THE YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN FROM IMPERIAL COUNTY. INTO
A SITUATION WHERE THEY CAN
THRIVE. AND BE A PART OF THE
MIDDLE CLASS. GOOD PAYING JOBS.
ALSO THE BUILDING TRADES ARE
HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL, CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS. MR ALL NATO AND HIS
PARTNERS ON CREATING SOME
COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND MAKING
SURE THAT THESE JOBS STAY IN
GILA COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR,
TOM HINTS E INTERNATIONAL. REP
FROM COMMENTING ON BEHALF OF THE
UNITED AUTO WORKERS. UM WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE ARE MEMBERS ARE BUILDING
TVS AND NEXT GENERATION LITHIUM
BATTERIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS TRANSITION IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE A JUST TRANSITION
AND GET IT RIGHT. UM WE'RE PROUD
MEMBER OF THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMUNITY COALITION WITH MR O
MEDO AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. UM
AND FOR US, UM, LABOR PEACE
AGREEMENTS ARE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE
FROM THE BUILDING TRADES SAID
THE EQUIVALENT FOR OPERATIONS
AND FOR PERMANENT WORKERS WHO
WILL BE WORKING IN FACILITIES
AND BATTERY MANUFACTURING, WHICH
WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH
EVERYONE TO HELP TO CO LOCATE IN
CALIFORNIA. UM THE BEST WAY FOR
LABOR PEACE AGREEMENTS TO APPLY
IS WITH THE LOCAL HIRING
STANDARDS AND THE TRAINING
STANDARDS THAT MY COLLEAGUE WAS
MENTIONING, ALSO, UM IN
COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS
WHERE WE CAN ALSO SECURE FUNDING
AND RESOURCES FOR THE LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. SO WE'RE PROUD TO
WORK WITH COMMUNITY CIVIC Ó
PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE
COALITION AND LOOK FORWARD TO
FUTURE CONVERSATIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SAYING NO
ONE ELSE IN LINE AGAIN. JUST
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S DURING
HEARING THIS MEETING IS JOURNEY.