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Still, stakeholders indicated the process could be improved. One environmental stakeholder commented that the permitting process creates tension between industry and the community, stating, “it seems as though CEQA and NEPA are inefficient, but the inefficiency is government who doesn't put in the sufficient manpower to get these processes done quickly.” Commenting on potential industry resistance, one environmental stakeholder noted it should not be a larger issue and said that if an industry rises or falls on a CEQA analysis, that industry has much bigger problems. In terms of community engagement, which is covered in greater depth below, most stakeholders believed CEQA could be done in a way to instill greater community confidence and support. With specific regard to permitting for the Salton Sea, one environmental stakeholder thought a programmatic environmental impact report (EIR) would make more sense as it would analyze the cumulative effects of extraction more holistically rather than producing an EIR for each project. They further explained there could be a “menu of mitigation measures” for industry to choose from. In such a scenario, other EIRs would likely not be needed; a negative declaration or an environmental assessment would suffice. Overall, it would result in much more work on the front end but could allow for a more efficient process and save time in the future. Multiple interviewees expressed concern about special exemptions from CEQA that allow the industry to circumvent regulatory codes. One environmental organization indicated that Imperial County is asking for multiple environmental waivers and said they would likely oppose them all. Given the large economic impact of lithium extraction and the potential of the lithium-ion battery industry coming to Imperial County, there is concern that the state government will focus less on potential threats and their adverse impacts. The same environmental group that said it would likely oppose any exemptions also said that now was the time to ensure the government was doing their due diligence. They stated, “now really is the time to start raising these questions and getting requirements in place because we don't know if [DLE] is actually going to work. If it does work and the government says it’s all systems go, we will have missed our opportunity.” Beyond potential exemptions and the CEQA process, there is concern about a report from the Lithium Valley Commission coming out in October 2022 to the California Legislature addressing extraction impacts. One last concern expressed by an environmental stakeholder included a transparent data collection process for air monitoring. Currently, geothermal companies self-collect and self-report their data. The stakeholder suggested that there needs to be sufficient funding for objective state staff to do the monitoring, and then create genuine sanctions when regulations are violated. Overall, there appears to be trust in the processes of the state, with the caveat that the state follows its own rules. However, the inability to prioritize permitting processes and limited government capacity to handle environmental protection remain lingering concerns. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The bulk of concern from interviewees representing organizations focused on community engagement and how the community would be impacted by lithium extraction. This section is further divided into community interactions and needed technical expertise. As a whole, stakeholders expressed that there was a lot of caution on the behalf of the community about ongoing geothermal and lithium projects. They also commented community perceptions were never static, but always evolving. Community Interactions As lithium extraction activities ramp up in the Salton Sea region, interactions between community members, government, and industry could represent a new chapter of more inclusive engagement, but issues still plague the process. As an environmental justice advocate emphasized, “one of the largest barriers that exist within government is the fact that government is not very good at engaging communities. They lack policies, they lack expertise, they lack capacity building. This is now starting to change, but we're not there yet.” A more inclusive process was initiated with the creation of the Lithium Valley Commission (LVC) that includes members from Alianza Coachella Valley, Comite Civico del Valle, Audubon California’s Salton Sea Program, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, and the Quechan Indian Tribe. Their inclusion has enabled a variety of groups to participate in decision-making. However, questions arise from stakeholders as to the quality of engagement, and whether this representation is sufficient. Multiple issues were raised by community and environmental stakeholders. Although there is representation of the community, one person Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Implications 56 AUGUST 2022PDF Image | Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States
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