At Ruiz’s Urging, Salton Sea Gets First Congressional Hearing in Over 20 Years
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Salton Sea got its first congressional hearing since 1997. This comes after Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) and Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51) urged a congressional hearing to address the impending public health and environmental health crisis at the Salton Sea. Speaking at the House Natural Resources Committee's Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee hearing "Federal and State Efforts to Restore the Salton Sea," Dr. Ruiz highlighted the need for his new legislation the "Salton Sea Public Health and Environmental Protection Act" which can be found here.
"I understand firsthand what the crisis at the Salton Sea means to my constituents and how it has ramifications for public health, the economy, and the ecosystem as a whole," said Dr. Ruiz at the hearing. "I am committed to making change, and I am urging everyone here to commit with me and Representative Vargas to making change at the Salton Sea. My patience is running thin. I have called for an all-hands-on-deck approach to break ground, expedite and complete projects at the Salton Sea, and that must include the Administration. They cannot sit on the sideline and leave my constituents high and dry while the shoreline disappears in front of their eyes."
You can watch Congressman Ruiz's full testimony here.
"I am very grateful that my congressman, Raul Ruiz, is focused on saving the Salton Sea," said former Senator Barbara Boxer. "We must take action so that our valley remains a beautiful and livable place. Without attention, the sea will dry up, we will suffer from dire air pollution and the iconic Salton Sea will become a major health hazard rather than a major asset to the community."
"We are grateful to the subcommittee and Congressman Ruiz and Vargas for elevating the Salton Sea at today's hearing and affirming that the federal government has a strong interest and responsibility at the Sea," said Frank Ruiz, Salton Sea Program Director for the National Audubon Society. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans living in the region and millions of birds on the Pacific Flyway rely on a strong partnership."
Also testifying today were the Chairman of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Thomas Tortez; State of California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Mr. Wade Crowfoot; and California State Water Resources Control Board Chair Mr. E. Joaquin Esquivel.
BACKGROUND:
On September 17th, 2019, Dr. Ruiz and Rep. Vargas wrote to the House Natural Resources Committee requesting a Congressional hearing to address the impending public health and environmental health crisis at the Salton Sea. The request cited the roles of multiple federal agencies – including the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Agriculture – in managing the Salton Sea and the overall lack of federal investment to protect the public's health.
- The Department of Interior manages land at the Salton Sea through the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of Land Management. In addition, the Bureau of Reclamation manages water operations on the Colorado River, which ultimately feeds the Salton Sea through agricultural drainage.
- The Environmental Protection Agency enforces the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.
- The Army Corps of Engineers is the lead permitting agency for the Salton Sea and has outstanding authorizations for work at the Salton Sea.
- The Department of Agriculture has funded Salton Sea projects through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
In their FY21 Budget Request, the Bureau of Reclamation acknowledges they would have a future obligation to mitigate public health effects of the exposed lakebed under the Clean Air Act. The Bureau calculated that their obligation to treat 8.75 square miles of exposed federal land could be upwards of $300 million.
Dr. Ruiz has released a framework of his draft legislation, the "Salton Sea Public Health and Environmental Protection Act" which can be found here.