In the dry expanses of Central Nevada, Nyle Pennington, a seasoned hydrologist, sounds the alarm about the impact of the burgeoning lithium mining industry on water sources. At the nation’s only active lithium mine, owned by Albemarle, groundwater levels are plummeting due to the massive water requirements of lithium extraction.

The lithium boom, spurred by the Biden administration’s push for domestic production, is crucial for national security and the transition to green energy. However, research by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University reveals a staggering tradeoff – billions of gallons of water will be needed for new lithium mines proposed across the arid American West.

Silver Peak, the country’s only active lithium mine, has been operating since 1966, and its increasing water usage has led to documented cases of drying wells and altered landscapes. Local authorities, like Esmeralda County Commissioner De Winsor, point to fissures and sinkholes as evidence of the toll lithium mining is taking on the region’s water resources.

The Biden administration’s push for a homegrown lithium supply is commendable, but it comes at a cost. The investigation shows that large-scale lithium production could strain water supplies in many states, with Nevada, California, and other Western states already experiencing the effects.

As more than 70 lithium mining proposals emerge across the nation, concerns about the sustainability of water usage grow. In Nevada alone, 28 lithium mines are vying to come online within 50 miles of Silver Peak, promising economic benefits but raising serious questions about water stress in already drought-prone regions.

California, with one of the largest lithium deposits globally, sees lithium as a massive economic opportunity. However, the extraction plans reveal a potential conflict over water resources from the Colorado River, already strained by chronic drought.

The investigation highlights the lack of federal laws governing water consumption by mines, with existing legislation dating back to the 19th century. Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva is pushing for new legislation to modernize mining laws, emphasizing the need for a balance between economic growth and responsible water usage.

As the U.S. races toward a lithium-powered future, it must navigate the delicate balance between environmental sustainability and resource extraction. The lithium rush may power the green revolution, but the hidden cost on water resources raises critical questions about the long-term viability of this essential transition.