News from Riverside County:

Riverside and Imperial County officials signed an agreement on Monday commemorating the Memorandum of Understanding the two counties reached recently to work collaboratively in preserving and restoring the Salton Sea.

“This is a major breakthrough in our efforts to further Salton Sea restoration,” said Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “This agreement, the first two-county Memorandum of Understanding on the Salton Sea, brings unified support and commitment for the work that’s needed at the Salton Sea.”

Nearly a year ago, Supervisor Perez introduced the North Lake Vision in a joint press conference with the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, which released a report on the economic benefits of a revitalized Salton Sea. The North Lake plan would protect the Riverside County portion of the Salton Sea by constructing an in-sea barrier around the contours of the northern shoreline with a deep lake.

In October, the North Lake plan took a major step forward with the Riverside County supervisors’ approval of the creation of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) to finance this infrastructure.

As Riverside County pursues a North Lake plan and fast-tracks its efforts through the EIFD, Imperial County is supportive of a Perimeter Lake concept, which would include a South Lake component. With this MOU, both counties are working toward the North Lake and South Lake plans as well as a Perimeter Lake, which will resemble a flowing river with a system of low profile levees bordering the Salton Sea shoreline.

The MOU ensures that these projects work in conjunction, complement the state’s efforts and are integrated into the 10-year Salton Sea Management Plan.

Supervisor Perez and Imperial County Board Chairman Raymond Castillo spoke at the signing ceremony, which was held at Travertine Point in the Riverside County community of Oasis.

The entire Imperial County Board of Supervisors was present, as well as representatives from the offices of U.S. Reps. Raul Ruiz and Juan Vargas, State Senator Ben Hueso and State Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia.

Video of the signing ceremony is available on Supervisor Perez’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/VManuelPerez4th.

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Supervisor V. Manuel Perez represents the eastern two-thirds of Riverside County on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Stretching from Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, south to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe and the Colorado River, the 4th District is the largest geographical district in the county.

Supervisor Perez’s office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.