A few days before the Sept. 30 deadline, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday the signing of dozens of bills and the veto of several others, including AB 2757 authored by outgoing Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella). The bill, coauthored by state Senator Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista) sought to designate all of Imperial County and parts of Riverside County adjacent to the Salton Sea as the Southeast California Economic Region, or SECER, to better align state and federal programs, services, and funding within those communities most impacted by the extraction and processing of lithium and other minerals from the Salton Sea and additional clean energy development in the surrounding areas within the region.

Related blog:

• Environmental Science Associates: Blog: Managing the Salton Sea: Strategies for a sustainable future