A desolate patch of Southern California desert could become a lithium powerhouse

A remote area of the Southern California desert is poised to become a renewable energy mecca after a large lithium deposit was discovered in the area around the Salton Sea. 

As an article by Rebecca Plevin and Zoë Meyers in Capital & Main explains, the plans are dividing local communities. Local politicians say the lithium find could mean an economic boom for the region, turning it into "a critical supplier for a global economy that is transitioning toward electric vehicles." But residents worry about whether the jobs and amenities will actually materialize — and at what cost. "A county report found that increased geothermal operations could result in increased seismic activity in the area, and that the Lithium Valley development plans would likely require the use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials during construction and operation."

Meanwhile, "The lithium mining plans, which three companies are pursuing, may not be fully realized for decades. Two nonprofits have sued over what they believe were shoddy environmental reviews, and the county and the Imperial Irrigation District, the major utility in the region, disagree over how to supply the huge amounts of water and power necessary for lithium extraction."