[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17537]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         REVIVE THE SALTON SEA

  (Mr. RUIZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, today we are leading the way at the Red Hill 
Bay to revive the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is the largest body of 
water in and poses the largest public health and economic threat to 
California.
  As the sea recedes, windblown dust containing arsenic and pesticides 
can cause respiratory distress in kids and seniors in the surrounding 
communities. The noxious odors may reduce home values and harm our 
tourism industry, costing billions of dollars. For too long, there has 
been study after study but no concrete action.
  Today, at the Salton Sea's Red Hill Bay, we break ground on the first 
large-scale project to help prevent dust exposure and promote renewable 
energy development.
  Imagine a Salton Sea that hosts the largest renewable energy 
industrial park in the Nation, creating jobs in southern California, 
while preserving wildlife habitat and preventing the noxious dust our 
children may breathe. Imagine a Salton Sea that, once again, attracts 
tourists from throughout the globe.
  This is my vision for the Salton Sea, and today we took the first 
step to making this vision a reality.

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