Imperial County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Imperial County, California public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
SMARA mining oversight and abandoned Picacho mine
The county has 30+ mine sites; consultants track reclamation bonds and inspections. The abandoned Picacho gold mine is entering a bond forfeiture process with roughly $85,000 available for partial cleanup.
Community Air Protection and air quality education
The Air Pollution Control District walked through decades of ozone and particulate data, noting Calexico's border-driven pollution and a mobile H2S monitor moving north toward the Salton Sea to track New River impacts.
SB 675 — Imperial County air district restructuring
The air district urged a veto of SB 675, calling it an unfunded mandate that would force an 11-member board, new staff and costs onto small businesses and farms. Supervisors Hawk and Kelley backed the veto; Cardenas-Singh said she couldn't support it without seeing the cost analysis.
Heber electric school bus funding increases
The board, sitting as the Air Pollution Control District Board, added roughly $95,000 across three amendments to electric school bus projects in Heber, funded by AB 617.
Geothermal permitting authority letter to CEC
The county ratified a corrected letter asking the California Energy Commission to let it permit larger geothermal plants locally. Critics said the county is trying to bypass state environmental review and that no other county has gotten this exemption.