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interviewed thought it was more “grass tops versus grass roots,” suggesting a disconnection between representatives and the community. This may be an indication of a lack of capacity within the LVC as well as some underlying tension between Riverside and Imperial Counties. The network of environmental and community organizations surrounding the Salton Sea is small. The groups involved with the LVC are also partners with other organizations attending meetings questioning lithium extraction’s impact. Another stakeholder commented that the LVC is verging into the territory of not effectively engaging communities. Part of their concern resides in the lack of sufficient transparency in the decision-making process. According to multiple community stakeholders, communities in the region believe that industry and government are not often going to have communities’ best interests in mind. Even in the context of more representation on the LVC, there is a level of uneasy trust. The relationships between community, industry, and the government are seemingly improving, though building relationships takes time, and any existing barriers and concerns are not removed overnight. One environmental justice advocate remained resolute that the government and industry needed to address community concerns. They stated, “is extraction really that safe? OK, show us. Is there economic opportunity here? OK, well let's see it. I would even go so far as asking is this something that’s favorable to our community, to help alleviate the harm that’s been done to our community.” They went on to say, “the legacy of harm that some communities are living with and will continue to live with needs to be considered.” Although community opinion is not static, community advocates emphasized they want to be part of the discussion and understand the implications of a new industry in the region and how it’s going to affect them. LVC meetings have also been a point of dispute. The LVC meets publicly once a month and provides additional context to the project and addresses issues brought up. In an early 2022 LVC meeting, community organizations noted that LVC staff brought in food, coffee, Spanish translation, and made efforts to engage community members. However, some community advocates were less than enthusiastic about the overall quality of these meetings, indicating that translation services were inadequate and suggesting the format was inaccessible. They went on to say, “the community needs a space to really react and share their thoughts and questions. The monthly five-hour meetings are not appropriate for that.” Stakeholders suggested additional meetings to give the community the proper space in addition to the current monthly meetings. As a whole, community interaction with the LVC appears mixed, with a more inclusive approach representing a milestone in itself. This is a stark comparison to previous community engagement and represents a completely different methodology in comparison to Thacker Pass. Still, greater levels of transparency about ongoing projects remain a notable frustration. Technical Expertise One of the largest barriers according to both lithium extraction researchers and community organizations is the technical nature of DLE and enabling community members and environmental groups to identify DLE processes and impacts. One researcher suggested, “a big failing of that whole process with the CEQA and NEPA sequence is laying things out in a way that's digestible by the general public, and not leaving them frustrated and feeling like they don't have a voice in the whole thing.” Consequently, stakeholders said community members feel discouraged in commenting on reports and listening in on LVC meetings. For example, the draft EIR produced by EnergySource is over one thousand pages long. The EIR speaks to some issues like waste disposal and water use that are concerns for community members, but its format remains inaccessible. One stakeholder who has been meeting with other environmental organizations and explaining the impacts laid out by the EnergySource EIR, said it’s almost impossible for the lay person to read such documents and gather information. Nonetheless, only one of three companies piloting DLE need to produce an EIR. Multiple stakeholders suggested it should be the job of companies to explain the technical details in language that is non- scientific. According to community organizations interviewed, some of the best information about geothermal and lithium production has come directly from the industry. Communities say this is not enough. This also raises questions about the impartiality of geothermal and lithium firms if they are explaining their own impacts. Objectivity from an independent source would allow communities an impartial perspective. Yet, given the nascent and proprietary connections to DLE research, along with limited government capacity to Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Implications 57 AUGUST 2022PDF Image | Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States
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