Tuesday, June 28, 2016

USA, California: Salton Sea Restoration Could Boost Geothermal Energy Development

Salton Sea Restoration Gets $80.5 Million In State Budget (KPBS)

Development could open up land for geothermal projects

The state budget Gov. Jerry Brown signed last week includes $80.5 million for restoration of the Salton Sea — more than California has ever allocated for the state's largest and most troubled lake.

The $80.5 million allocated in the state's budget will fund the design and environmental documentation for the first phase of the Salton Sea Management Plan. It will also fund some construction, said Bruce Wilcox, assistant secretary for Salton Sea policy at the California Natural Resources Agency. The plan builds habitat around the edges of the sea, which would deal with the habitat issues and the human health issues associated with the dust.

Wilcox said construction is expected to begin next year on two pieces of the project funded by the state — 600 acres of species conservation habitat and 450 acres at Red Hill Bay.

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