Achieving a Healthy & Sustainable Future

October 22nd and 23rd, 2024

Sign-up

This year’s Environmental Health Leadership Summit will focus on environmental justice principles, civic engagement, community benefits, zero emissions transportation challenges, training the workforce for the just transition, and include opportunities for you to connect with community, advocates, professionals, and experts.

While we are still in the midst of the development of Lithium Valley, we are still dealing with historical challenges in our community. The generational opportunity to transform our local economy and provide future generations with cleaner energy, zero emissions technologies, and high road jobs is tempting, but we musn’t sacrifice our communities to provide these for others without direct benefits to our fenceline populations. As always, we have to remember that we are ALL the stewards of our environment and that just as we inherited a habitable land, we must improve on it and leave it improved for future generations.

We don’t ask to become leaders and advocate for our communities, and our communities don’t ask to become environmental justice waypoints. But everyone here today steps up when injustices happen. It’s in this spirit that Comite Civico del Valle welcomes all to the Environmental Health Leadership Summit to express their passion and their frustrations, and collaborate on ways to build capacity around specific issues or identify solutions where they exist.

Comite Civico del Valle proudly welcomes you to join the 13th Environmental Health Leadership Summit on October 22nd & 23rd at the Old Eucalyptus Schoolhouse in El Centro, CA. The Summit is our annual gathering designed to cultivate partnerships for the advocacy of environmental health concerns in underserved communities across the Salton Sea region and beyond.

With over 30 years of advocating for environmental justice communities, educating community on environmental health, and training new community leaders, Comite Civico Del Valle brings together diverse experts, community stakeholders, youth leadership, environmental justice organizations, academia, and researchers to help centralize their commitment to improving environmental health and social injustices through advocacy, education and engagement.

The 2024 Summit aims to create a dynamic gathering for attendees to experience two days of enrichment through workshops, panels, and networking to stimulate discussion and excitement of various topics surrounding environmental and public health.

This is why we host the Summit, to make sure that we abide by our mission that "Informed people build healthy communities."

Speakers

We will periodically update the list of speakers, presenters, and invited guests at this year’s Summit.

Schedule

  • 8:00 am - 8:55 am

    Registration & Networking Breakfast

  • 9:00 am - 9:25 am

    Welcoming & Introduction to the Environmental Health Leadership Summit

  • 9:30 am - 10:00 am

    Environmental Health

    The Imperial Valley suffers disproportionate health impacts because of high exposure to environmental hazards. Learn more about what the environment means to your and your family's health from our invited speakers Dr. Shoreh Farzan, USC, Michelle Wong and Dr. Jo Wilkin,Tracking California. This presentation will teach you more about the local issues that affect you when you live in the Imperial Valley, what you should be on the lookout for, and prepare you for the Environmental Health Leadership Summit.

  • 10:05 am - 10:15 am

    Breakout Overview

  • 10:25 am - 12:35 pm

    Workshop Sessions:

    Two breakout sessions of 60 minutes each, choose your own.

    Workshop A - Salton Sea

    Learn about efforts taking place at the drying Salton Sea and important mitigation projects to protect wildlife & public health. Learn more about the Sea's future with ongoing and future projects under the Salton Sea Management Program and how to stay informed.

    Workshop B - Community Resources

    In response to the climate crisis, we provide many community services by working with local and state partners. We invite you to learn about services offered in your community by Comite and its partners, ranging from asthma training, water filtration, air notifications, and many more.

    Workshop C - Lithium Valley

    The Imperial Valley has an opportunity to lead the way for the safe, equitable, community-led development of lithium projects that address all impacts and protect the environment and public health of our communities. Community concerns must be addressed, especially regarding air quality, water supply, and hazardous waste. We invite you to a conversation with the organizations working in the community to educate on the ongoing development of Lithium Valley.

    Workshop D - COVID-19

    As we continue to navigate the challenges in the post-pandemic world, this informative workshop is designed to empower Imperial County residents with the latest insights and resources related to COVID-19. This session will cover the latest trends, prevention strategies, and community health services available to the community.

    Workshop E - Climate Resilience & Disaster Readiness

    Climate resilience and disaster readiness are vital for Imperial Valley residents due to the region's unique vulnerabilities to natural hazards like extreme heat, droughts, and earthquakes. These strategies empower communities to better withstand and recover from climate impacts, ensuring public safety and economic stability, particularly in agriculture. By fostering community engagement and preparing for emergencies, residents can build stronger support networks and enhance their quality of life. Ultimately, prioritizing climate resilience and disaster readiness helps safeguard the environment and the livelihoods of Imperial Valley residents.

  • 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm

    Lunch & Keynote Addresses

  • 1:55 pm - 2:40 pm

    North End Communities & the Lithium Excise Tax

    SB125, the Lithium Excise Tax, was a milestone victory for the communities of the Imperial Valley, with all local stakeholders rallying together to advocate for equitable economic benefits from the region's lithium extraction. This legislation ensures that revenue generated from the lithium industry is reinvested into the local economy, supporting infrastructure, job creation, and community development. Please join this panel to learn more about how the community in the North End wants to see these funds distributed and implemented.

  • 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm

    Community Benefits Agreements

    An overview of what community benefits agreements entail, the different provisions, and what we hope to see in the Imperial Valley as it develops new economies. The attention and investment in the Imperial Valley for Lithium Valley is an opportunity to design a more equitable economy, by having the community benefit from community-negotiated agreements with developers, industries, and others that look to invest in our natural resources. Learn about local efforts and how it relates to other communities where these type of agreements have occurred.

  • 3:35 pm - 4:20 pm

    Climate & Water Diversion Impacts on Farmworkers

    In the Imperial Valley, farmworkers have been disproportionately experiencing the effects of climate change. Reductions to Imperial Valley’s Colorado River water allocation have resulted in job loss and displacement for many farmworkers. In this panel, we will talk about how climate change has led to reduced agricultural employment and the importance of building capacity for farmworkers to transition to different industries.

  • 4:25 pm - 4:55 pm

    Day 1 Reflections

  • 8:30 am - 9:25 am

    Registration & Continental Breakfast

  • 9:35 am - 9:55 am

    Recap of Day 1 & Introduction to Day 2

  • 10:00 am - 11:00 am

    Defenders of Environmental Justice

    The environmental justice movement has made many strides across the world, with local victories rarely celebrated in the Imperial Valley. We invite you to listen from the elders of the EJ movement in our region, and listen to the strides that have been made in our region, and where we can go next by learning from their lessons of adversity and progress. Accompanying gallery on display of our respected EJ leaders.

  • 11:05 am - 11:45 am

    Binational Climate Change

    The border region of the Californias is in a unique situation where shared geographies, economies, and populations are affected. The border region involves the cooperation of two nations to develop strategies that mitigate the impacts of climate change while promoting sustainable development and practices. While sharing knowledge and aligning policies, we can increase the resilience to climate-related challenges and foster a more sustainable future.

  • 11:50 am - 12:35 pm

    Lithium Valley Panel

  • 12:40 pm - 1:00 pm

    Closing & Call to Action

Resources at this year’s Environmental Health Leadership Summit

  • Respira Sano
  • Lithium Valley
    • Imperial Valley EV Charger Equity Initiative
    • High Road Training for Lithium Valley
    • Lithium Valley Community Coalition
  • IVAN Community
  • Trusted Messengers
  • Salton Sea COEE
  • Driving Clean California

EJ Hero

EJ Champ

EJ Ally
Day 1 - Youth & Climate, Community Benefits Agreements, Lithium Valley’s EIR, EVs & Infrastructure, CERF: Southern Border Region, and Community Research Day 2 - Salton Sea & Colorado River, Binational Solutions, and Philanthropy’s Role in Climate Change Initiatives