Los Amigos de la Comunidad, Inc Executive Director and Project Lead organizer Eric Montoya Reyes is an experienced (35 years) community organizer and advocate for the underserved communities of the Imperial Valley in different capacities through his adult life.

His vast experience includes being culturally and linguistically competent and relevant that has seen him lead different organizations and movements within the Imperial County on issues impacting the community; including environmental and socioeconomic issues with an emphasis of representing the underserved communities; who are busy surviving and not engaged in every day opportunities to have their voices heard.

Eric has been an active participant, advocate and activist for Salton Sea and its current status of unknown consequences in continued water transfers, climate change and the receding shoreline. Eric has participated in a multitude of Salton Sea and environmental community meetings, seminars and agency discussions and was invited, and accepted, to be on the Imperial County Environmental Justice Advisory Board of the Imperial County on the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) and Land Use Plan for the Lithium Valley Development impacting the Sea.

Eric is currently a member of the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District (ICAPCD) Appeals Panel; reviewing and voting on ICAPCD cases and violations as well as a member of the AB617 North End Corridor Commission creating programs and investment in air quality mitigation and an active participant in local and state initiatives with elected officials and agencies on environmental and human health issues in the region.

Talks

• Session B: Restoring the Salton Sea & Lithium Extraction: Balancing Opportunity & Environmental and Health Impacts