Kern COG coordinates regional air quality planning efforts for on-road mobile source emissions in the Kern Region. Kern is divided into three air basins/planning areas. The San Joaquin Valley, the Mojave Desert and the Indian Wells Valley Planning Area of the Mojave Desert.
San Joaquin Valley Air Basin
The San Joaquin Valley portion of Kern has failed to attain the federal standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM).
- Ozone – To control ozone emissions Kern COG and its member agencies identified all reasonably available control measures (RACM) in accordance with the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act.
- Particulate Matter – To control PM emissions Kern COG and its member agencies identified all best available control measures (BACM) in accordance with the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act.
Kern COG coordinates with the eight San Joaquin Valley counties in air quality planning efforts. For the latest status on the San Joaquin Valley, go to: www.valleyair.org.
Eastern Kern County Air Basin
The mountain and desert portions of Kern have failed to attain some of the federal standards for PM. For the latest status on Eastern Kern, go to: www.kernair.org.
Kern COG also functions as the Kern Motorist Aid Authority (KMAA), which operates roadside call boxes for drivers who require assistance after a vehicle breakdown or other non-emergency situation. KMAA was founded in 1990 to implement a call box system on designated state highways throughout Kern County. The availability of call boxes on rural roads provides aid to motorists traveling in and through the area.
In addition to assuming responsibility for the design, installation and maintenance of the call box system in Kern County, the KMAA works with the appropriate local and state agencies to implement and maintain the system. The KMAA is a member of the California Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies (CalSAFE) organization.
Transportation Corridors may be multi-regional or multi jurisdictional. Roads and highways do not stop at a jurisdictional boundary. By identifying an approved location for a future transportation corridor, many community and environmental impacts can be avoided.
Regional coordination of transportation planning allows local and state agencies to work cooperatively in addressing both the inter-regional and inter-jurisdictional transportation need. Identifying and approving corridor locations prior to the development of housing and businesses permits local agencies to incorporate the approved road or highway corridor into local master plans and allows protection of the corridor at the time of development. Information on corridor plans can be found with our documents.
“A Garden In The Sun”
Established 1910 and incorporated on December 21, 1960, Arvin was named as tribute to Arvin Richardson, an early Kern Pioneer.
Uniform temperatures and miles of rich soil make Arvin one of the most cultivated areas in the region. Products include a bounty of grapes, deciduous fruits, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets and various orchards; all available to buyers across the nation during a long and vigorous growing season.
(more…)
“More to Explore”
The city that gave its name to the famous Bakersfield Sound is the hub of California’s largest agricultural-producing county and one of the nation’s largest oil-producing areas. Located at the crossroads of several transportation networks, Bakersfield’s central location supports a well-developed economic sector plus numerous festivals and sports events. It also is the seat of Kern County government.
In the mid-19th century, Col. Thomas Baker let the word out that his property was a place where weary travelers could stop and rest themselves and their animals. Word soon spread that everyone was welcome in Baker’s field. From the town he plotted in 1869 to today’s ninth largest city in California, that welcoming spirit of Col. Baker lives on.
(more…)
“Room To Grow” 
California City was founded in May 1958 and incorporated on December 10, 1965. A planned community, California City is the third largest incorporated city in land area in California and the eleventh largest in the United States.
With easy access to the Mojave Desert and Edwards Air Force Base, California City is an ideal area for military personnel and lovers of the wide, open desert.
(more…)
