The California Natural Resources Agency this week released its Salton Sea Management Program annual report, which trumpeted the first completed dust suppression project and set ambitious goals for upcoming mitigation efforts.

The report lays out an aggressive target of 3,800 acres on which the agency hopes to complete efforts to tamp down dust by the end of 2020 to catch up with its long-term benchmarks.

"We’re well-positioned and have identified a suite of projects that will help us accomplish that goal by the end of this year," said Arturo Delgado, the agency's assistant secretary for Salton Sea policy.

The state has faced significant criticism for its slow response to the lake's ever-expanding exposed playa, which is laden with chemicals from agricultural runoff and pollution brought north by the New River. Formed more than a century ago when the Colorado River spilled into a historical depression, the Salton Sea and its retreating waterline are believed to be exacerbating respiratory issues such as asthma in surrounding communities as particles from the lake bed become airborne.

California, with an assist from the Imperial Irrigation District, announced in January the completion of the first full project under the Salton Sea Management Program. This effort, dubbed the Bruchard Road Dust Suppression Project, used trenches dug into the exposed playa to break up the wind and trap dust.

Bruchard Road only covered 112 acres, but Delgado said that getting the first project in the books was "a significant accomplishment not only for the state team but for the community."

This initial 3,800-acre push — Phase A — will focus on dust suppression projects like Bruchard Road, while later work — Phase B — is planned to begin the process of creating new habitat.

"Phase B would consist of vegetation establishment on portions of Phase A project sites, where possible, and implementation of approximately 4,400 acres of additional projects in areas that require further data collection, design, and planning and have more extensive environmental permitting requirements," according to the annual report.

The state is looking at the end of 2022 as a deadline to complete this phase.

Delgado said work that is already underway is fully funded.

Other stakeholders involved in projects have expressed concern over the amount of money that has been set aside, especially after Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed that the latest proposed funding stream was actually contingent on another bond measure.

"I cannot, as the director and chairman of this board, put all my eggs in one basket and think that, come November, we’re going to be $220 million richer for the Salton Sea," Imperial Irrigation District Board President Norma Sierra Galindo told The Desert Sun in January.

A spokesperson for the Natural Resources Agency clarified that nearly all the state's funding for Salton Sea projects comes from bond measures, five of which have been approved by California voters since 2000.

The Legislature, via SB45, is considering Newsom's call for a climate resiliency bond. The bill would allow for a $5.51 billion bond to be placed on the November election.

Delgado said the agency is also in the process of "really doing our due diligence to thoroughly engage with the community and the project in general," and is hosting several community meetings to discuss its plans for dust suppression, including an event on March 4 in Thermal. The Final Dust Suppression Action Plan is expected to be published by May.

This year, the state will also be releasing its its environmental analysis that will inform the broader 10-year plan.

On March 18, the State Water Board will also host a public meeting to discuss the first phase of the Salton Sea Management Progam in El Centro at the IID headquarters.

Mark Olalde covers the environment for The Desert Sun. Get in touch at molalde@gannett.com, and follow him on Twitter at @MarkOlalde.