Imperial Valley Hopes for Lithium-Fueled Development Boom
- Josh Stephens
- May 4, 2025
- 8 min read
The name of California’s most storied economic region — Silicon Valley — betrays reality. The San Francisco Peninsula does not mine silicon. And, really, it’s not even a valley.
An emerging industrial region in California seeks to trade on the “valley” name. But, this time, the demonym is real. Plans for “Lithium Valley” envision what would likely be the most extensive lithium extraction operations in the United States, accompanied by a range of related industries. If it is realized, this vision would transform what is currently one of the poorest and most climatically inhospitable corners of California — the Imperial Valley — into an industrial center, powered by lithium.
And, it’s not merely a valley. At roughly 180 feet below sea level, it lies in one of the lowest depressions in the Western Hemisphere.
Under discussion since the 2022 publication of the state-level Lithium Valley Commission’s recommendations and released in draft in February, the Lithium Valley Specific Plan, along with a programmatic environmental impact report, commissioned by Imperial County, would govern 51,785 acres of northern Imperial County, along the southeastern edge of the Salton Sea and just north of the City of Calipatria.
Though the plan is on the verge of adoption—with companies including Controlled Thermal Resources, Berkshire Hathaway, and EnergySource eager to break ground or expand existing operations—portions of the plan face at least one legal threat from environmental justice advocates.
Roughly one-fifth would be reserved for conservation and open space. The rest would center on a 21st century oil rush: the extraction, via pumping (not mining), of lithium-rich brine from under the Salton Sea bed for processing and inclusion in batteries, including, and especially, those that power electric vehicles. By some estimates, the region’s 17 million metric tons of deposits could contribute to 375 million cars—and, backers say, they can be extracted more easily and with less environmental impact than competing deposits in Nevada, Arizona, and Arkansas, among others.
“There's a lot of different places that have discovered that they have lithium, but there is nowhere that is at the level that we're at as a county with creating an entire ecosystem around the opportunity with lithium, said Bari Bean, Deputy County Executive Director for Natural Resources.
In conjunction with the area’s existing geothermal energy production, the plan hopes to attract industries that would process lithium and manufacturing lithium-related products onsite (much of which currently takes place overseas). It envisions 70 million to 80 million square feet of industrial and related development, including data centers for major tech firms. The goal is to develop a comprehensive energy-based economy rather than an isolated extractive activity.
“It’s one thing to take the lithium out and ship it to China,” said Brian Mooney, Principal and Senior Vice President of the Planning and Design Division at RICK, lead consultant for the Lithium Valley Specific Plan. “Why not create the battery manufacturing close to the source?”
The sprawling plan includes a host of provisions designed to facilitate development, improve onsite infrastructure, create transportation connectivity, and protect ecological resources. It calls for five distinct, separate zones focusing on, respectively, lithium extraction; processing and manufacturing; warehousing and logistics; “community opportunity areas” including housing, businesses, and services; and conservation areas covering Salton Sea playas. The community opportunity areas would directly abut Calipatria, on the southern end of the plan area.
Most of the plan area is currently zoned for agriculture.
“We are envisioning a complete urbanization of an area that is all agricultural canals,” said Mooney.
