California state and Biden administration officials on Tuesday announced a new ecosystem recovery plan for the dwindling Salton Sea. Salton Sea conservation efforts aim to improve regional air quality and support wildlife.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held forSpecies conservation habitatAccording to the partners, this project marks the completion of the first phase of these efforts and the expansion into the second phase made possible by new state and federal initiatives.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to making the West more resilient to drought and the impacts of climate change,” Interior Department Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel Davis said in a statement.
“We are working with our partners to strengthen the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River system and support families, farmers and tribes into the future,” added Daniel Davis.
The first phase focused on:Area of 4,110 acresLocated at the southern end of the Salton Sea, it involved restoring shallow water habitat that had been lost due to increased lake salinity and shoreline retreat.
The expansion will add an additional 750 acres to the project, bringing the total area to nearly 5,000 acres, according to the California Natural Resources Agency. In the future, the area could expand further to about 8,000 acres, the agency said.
“California has made great strides in Salton Sea restoration efforts, and we are expanding this important work to create hundreds of additional acres of habitat and help improve air quality in nearby areas. “We are doing so,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom (D). statement.
Continued restoration efforts were made possible by a $70 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation through the Inflation Control Act. The funding is part of the $250 million the federal government has pledged to the Salton Sea.2022.
According to the California Natural Resources Agency, in August an action to facilitate access to the land and provide $175 million in funding will allow crews to accelerate the restoration work currently underway. It is said that
To date, the Golden State has committed more than $500 million in state funds to projects related to the Salton Sea, the agency said.
As the restoration project progresses, state officials hope to restore the area's ecological value by creating a network of ponds and wetlands, providing habitat for fish and birds, and controlling dust in the area. He said he is aiming to do so.
The Salton Sea is one of many salt lakes around the world, and as it dries out, it raises dust and worsens air pollution.
“As the Salton Sea bed recedes, toxic dust pollutes air quality and threatens the stability of local ecosystems,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said in a statement after the groundbreaking. said.
“The $250 million in Inflation Control Act funding we secured for the Salton Sea Management Program will not only protect public health in the surrounding area, but will also support the region's abundant aquatic and avian wildlife. “It's essential to restoring habitat,” Padilla added.
