USA, California:

Imperial Irrigation District, County agree on terms for Salton Sea (Imperial Valley Press)

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and the County of Imperial have agreed on a list of terms that would radically transform the Salton Sea if implemented.

Some of these terms include the development of the Salton Sea’s geothermal resources through public-private partnerships.

Highlights of the plan include:

• Joint pursuit of the State’s commitment to build transmission interconnecting to the district’s electric system for the export of up to 1,400 megawatts of renewable energy from the Salton Sea resource area to load centers throughout the state. 
• - IID’s pledge of its extensive land and mineral assets in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area to establish a renewable energy development area in order to create public/private partnerships that would contribute to Salton Sea restoration. 
• - Joint request to the federal government to pledge its own land and mineral assets within the Salton Sea KGRA and the decommissioned Naval Test Site for the development of renewable energy generation. 

The long-term goal is to not only avert a looming environmental and public health disaster as the Salton Sea continues to recede, but to transform the area into an economic powerhouse, officials say.

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