SSMP eNewsletter — October
Celebrating Latino Heritage Month, the Creation of the Salton Sea Conservancy, and More Funding for Salton Sea Habitat Restoration Projects!
The California Natural Resources Agency and the Salton Sea Management Program celebrated Latino Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15, which is an annual tradition of honoring, remembering, and uplifting the enduring contributions of Latino communities across California. This year’s theme, “Esperanza en Acción: Honoring Roots, Defending Nature,” underscores the powerful connections between cultural heritage, community resilience, and environmental stewardship.
On October 4, the SSMP team hosted a public tour at the Species Conservation Habitat (”SCH”) project to celebrate and spend a Saturday morning at the Salton Sea. On a two-hour drive around the project area, the group received more details about the project and its infrastructure, saw the different habitat features and experienced the wildlife that is already making use of the recently filled ponds. Tour attendees also got the opportunity to play an SCH Lotería game, a competitive and interactive game to see how much the group was learning from this experience.
Additionally, and in partnership with Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition, members of the SSMP hosted a family-friendly arts gathering on Wednesday, October 8 in Calexico. The event was a very colorful experience to celebrate the region’s artistry. Attendees connected with local artists, learn about the work happening at the Sea, and joined in celebration of Latino roots.
Salton Sea Conservancy Update
Last month, the California State Legislature passed, and Governor Newsom signed, Senate Bill 105, which provided funding for the Salton Sea Conservancy. The Conservancy was created by SB 583, which was authored by Senator Steve Padilla and signed by Governor Newsom in September 2024.
This is a big deal — the Salton Sea Conservancy is the first new State conservancy in over 20 years, and will play a critical role in shaping the future of the Salton Sea. The Conservancy’s responsibility of operating and maintaining completed projects built by the State’s Salton Sea Management Program will allow the SSMP to continue its focus on building more large-scale habitat restoration and dust suppression projects at the Salton Sea.
The Conservancy is governed by a 22-member Board of Directors, which includes designees from Federal, State, local, and tribal entities, as well as nongovernmental organization representatives and members of the public. This includes one representative of a nongovernmental organization focused on environmental justice work in the region and one representative of a nongovernmental organization focused on fish and wildlife habitat work in the region, both appointed by the California Natural Resources Secretary. We would like to invite members of the Salton Sea community to apply for these roles — if you are interested in applying for the environmental justice representative role, please fill out this form. If you are interested in applying for the environmental habitat role, please fill out this form. Please apply by Friday, November 14.
Our Salton Sea Management Program team is excited about the addition of the Salton Sea Conservancy and committed to assisting with its next steps. We will continue to use this newsletter to provide updates on the Conservancy, including upcoming meeting notices, as well as staffing updates and job postings.
More Habitat Restoration and Dust Suppression Projects Coming Soon!
In addition to funding for the Salton Sea Conservancy, the Budget passed last month by the Legislature and signed by the Governor includes over $147 million for new habitat restoration and dust suppression projects at the Salton Sea, which will be built by the SSMP in the coming years. We know that many of you played a critical role in advocating for this funding – we are grateful for your support and look forward to sharing more details with you soon.
Join Us for a Salton Sea Open-House at Bombay Beach
Join the Salton Sea Management Program, Audubon California, Imperial Irrigation District, and California State Parks at our Open House to learn more about the habitat restoration projects and other initiatives happening near Bombay Beach.
We will meet at the Bombay Beach Community Center on Thursday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m. for an in-person open-house community meeting. Complimentary food and drinks will be provided by Audubon California. Click here for more information.