SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) As California transitions to a decarbonized economy, the state’s heavy reliance on importing lithium from foreign countries robs the state of the opportunity to pair climate change and transportation goals with the creation of high-quality, green jobs.
(b) With ambitious goals to meet, and the majority of automakers producing electric vehicles by 2035, the demand for lithium is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade.
(c) According to industry experts, the Salton Sea geothermal resource area, known as “Lithium Valley,” can potentially satisfy more than one-third of global lithium demand.