IMPERIAL, CA — Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) today announced that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has accepted an invitation to visit Imperial County to see firsthand the impacts of pollution along the New River and the Salton Sea, following a roundtable discussion on cross-border water pollution.
Gonzalez joined EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, and regional elected officials yesterday in Coronado to discuss progress addressing contamination in the Tijuana River. During the roundtable, Gonzalez thanked Administrator Zeldin for his work addressing the Tijuana River while emphasizing that the New River, which flows through Imperial County into the Salton Sea, presents a more severe and long-standing challenge.
Gonzalez highlighted how pollution in the New River affects public health, the environment, and economic activity throughout the region, including impacts on local businesses and the long-term sustainability of the Salton Sea.
He underscored Imperial County’s strategic importance to the state and the nation, noting that Assembly District 36 contains an estimated one-third of the world’s lithium resources, representing significant potential for economic growth, job creation, and domestic energy production.
Gonzalez also emphasized Imperial County’s critical role in the nation’s food supply, producing roughly 90% of the country’s winter vegetables, and warned that continued environmental neglect could pose serious risks to American agriculture.
During the discussion, Gonzalez formally invited both Administrator Zeldin and SBA Administrator Loeffler to visit Imperial County to view conditions along the New River and the Salton Sea firsthand.
Administrator Zeldin responded, saying, “Invite accepted.”
“Imperial County has been overlooked for far too long, and I appreciate Administrator Zeldin’s willingness to come see these challenges our region faces,” said Gonzalez.
Assemblyman Gonzalez will continue working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as plans are made for the Administrator’s next California visit.
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