NO MORE
EMPTY PROMISES
Valley United for Community Benefits is a coalition of residents, community-based organizations, unions, and environmental justice advocates fighting for a clean environment, healthy communities, and good, family-sustaining jobs in California's "Lithium Valley."
For far too long, the Imperial Valley has been a site of extraction of our resources: our crops, our land, our water &
our people.
Our coalition believes that it is time to ensure that the families and workers of the Imperial Valley get their fair share and are protected from the environmental impacts of development. We aim to empower local residents to be active participants in Imperial County's growing green industries.
Valle Unido is committed to:
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Securing Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) with the major companies in our region as a way for local residents to participate in shared decision-making, generate safe and family-sustaining jobs, protect workers' rights and the environment, and provide opportunities for those historically excluded
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Ensuring the highest environmental mitigation measures in projects and developments in the region
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Standing in solidarity with those fighting for social, economic, and racial justice
What is
'Lithium Valley'?
Imperial County is poised to become the epicenter of the American lithium extraction industry. Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimate that there are 2,600,000 metric tons of lithium available in the geothermal reservoir below Imperial County. That’s enough to power between 300,000,000—600,000,000 electric vehicles.
Three companies are planning to extract lithium in Imperial County. These developments could bring high-paying jobs and economic opportunities to Imperial County residents. But they will also bring environmental risks and there is no guarantee that future jobs will be good jobs or accessible to our residents.
That is why Valle Unido por Beneficios Comunitarios is coming together to unite Imperial County residents behind a platform of good jobs and environmental protections. We are demanding that the lithium extraction companies commit in writing to maximizing the public benefit of their investments.
Salton Sea
Known Geothermal
Resource Area
Our Coalition Partners
Formed during the peak of
COVID-19 in one of California's hardest-hit counties, the Imperial Valley Equity and Justice (IVEJ) empowers Latinx communities by addressing health and social inequities, fostering leadership, and advancing justice and equity.
Founded on the principle that informed people build healthy communities, Comite Civico del Valle (CCV) has advanced Environmental Justice since 1987, collaborating with communities, researchers, and agencies across California.
The Becoming Project, founded in 2019, is dedicated to removing barriers to success for homeless and low-income communities through direct services in housing, hygiene, financial resources, education, and social justice.
Jobs to Move America (JMA) is a policy center advancing racial and economic justice by transforming public spending and corporate behavior to create good jobs and healthier communities.
Since 1988, Earthworks has helped communities secure protections of their health, land, water, and air from extractive industries. They are the only national organization in the U.S. to focus exclusively on preventing the destructive impacts of the extraction of oil, gas, and minerals.
United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 6 is the region of over 120,000 active and retired UAW members in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai'i, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, organizing for a just and sustainable future for all. Nationally, UAW represents over 1,000,000 active and retired members and is the union for the American automotive electric vehicle industries.
The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego & Imperial Counties (ACLU-SDIC) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit civil rights organization working to advance equity, freedom and justice through community engagement, policy advocacy and impact litigation. One of 54 ACLU affiliates in the United States that works to defend and preserve the individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and laws.
Taxpayers have given a combined $390,500,000 in tax credits and subsidies to three companies to extract lithium across nearly 53,000 acres of land in Imperial County.
What government officials and business groups are calling “Lithium Valley” continues to follow a long pattern of one-sided extraction in our region where our residents are left with poor or unsafe working conditions, a devastated environment, and little to no concrete commitments to improving the lives of working people.
Imperial Valley isn’t just a resource—it’s our home. Our coalition works to ensure that our communities and residents are equal partners at the table, not to be overlooked or taken advantage of in our own backyard.
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Valle Unido wants to ensure that the community is a part in shaping Lithium Valley. We believe that this multi-billion dollar industry, which is subsidized with our tax dollars, must give Imperial Valley residents a level of shared decision-making, produce tangible community benefits, and that both the people and environment are protected.
We call on Lithium Valley companies to make the following commitments:
Not a sacrifice zone:
A healthy environment for Valley residents
We want to ensure families have access to clean water and farmworkers have the ability to earn a living. As a baseline, companies must commit to strong mitigation measures to protect the people and the environment of Imperial Valley. Lithium and other “green” developments, if not done right, can negatively impact our environment.
Local-first,
equitable hiring & employment practices
Lithium Valley companies must commit to guaranteeing employment opportunities for vulnerable, disadvantaged and historically excluded communities in Imperial Valley. Over the course of their employment, workers should have opportunities for ongoing training and development, to hone their skills in a highly technical workplace.
Transparency & accountability
Lithium Valley companies must be transparent and accountable for their workforce development, equity, labor, environmental health and safety, and community commitments. To ensure compliance with all these commitments, Lithium Valley companies’ reporting should be made publicly accessible with robust translation and interpretation services.
Respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and protection of Tribal Cultural Resources
Respect the right to Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) including the right to meaningful dialogue and the right to say “yes,” “no,” or “yes with conditions” to a project, and to revoke consent at any time for lithium projects that impact the resources and territories of Indigenous peoples.
Fully analyze, avoid where possible, and mitigate impacts to tribal cultural resources such as the Southeast Lake Cahuilla Active Volcanic Cultural District.
Safe, high road jobs with family-sustaining wages & benefits
Lithium Valley companies have a responsibility to offer safe, high road quality jobs with family-sustaining wages and comprehensive benefits to local workers, promoting economic growth that enables Imperial Valley communities to benefit from their operations.
A safe, high road job is one in which workers have a voice in speaking collectively about their working conditions without fear of retaliation.
Diverse, equitable & inclusive workforce with an accessible pipeline
In order to meet local and equitable hiring goals, Lithium Valley companies must support the creation of a workforce development pipeline that intentionally targets our most disadvantaged residents and historically excluded communities.
The Lithium Companies
Berkshire Hathaway Renewables (BHER) currently operates ten geothermal power plants in Imperial County. These plants produce a total of 345 megawatts of power (an average of 34.5 megawatts each), which is enough to power approximately 300,000 homes.
The company is currently seeking permits from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to build three new geothermal power plants in the area. These power plants will produce a total of 401 megawatts of power, meaning they will more-than-double the company’s existing production capacity.
BHER is developing technology to extract lithium from its power plants. In 2019, a high level executive said that lithium produced this way will be competitive with the cheapest lithium currently on the market and pointed out that when lithium is extracted from geothermal power, ‘the lithium is worth five times the value of the power.’ The company estimates they could extract up to 90,000 tons per year of lithium worth up to $1,500,000,000.
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What is a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)?Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are legally enforceable agreements between private companies and coalitions of community and labor groups. CBAs can be used to ensure a wide range of high-road job standards and equity measures. When cities and states enter into contracts with private corporations or receive tax credits and subsidies, these private corporations are rarely required to create good jobs or commit to equity measures. CBAs allow coalitions of community-based groups, workforce development organizations, labor unions, and other social justice advocates to ensure even deeper equity commitments and high road hiring practices at these facilities.
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Why organize for a CBA?CBAs can: Maximize returns on government investment in green energy and manufacturing. Transform communities through stronger, more equitable economies. Hold companies accountable to their promises to local governments, workers, and communities. Advance racial and gender equity by creating training and apprenticeship opportunities for women, people of color, veterans, and systems-impacted people who have historically been left out of good jobs in the manufacturing sector.
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Where can I learn more about CBAs in action?Across the country, CBAs have been signed for large projects like airports, stadiums, and factories. One of Valle Unido's partner organizations, Jobs to Move America, maintains a Community Benefits Resource Center. Learn more about their CBA with NewFlyer, the largest transit bus manufacturer in North America.
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Where can I learn more about the environmental impacts of lithium extraction in Imperial Valley?Two Valle Unido partner organizations, Earthworks and Comite Civico del Valle, published a public report on this subject, which can you read here.
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