Demanding Accountability For Kern County Oil & Gas Drilling Projects

Local residents, who already breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country, will have little to no recourse to challenge future oil and gas extraction activities, including fracking and other oil drilling projects taking place in close proximity to their homes, schools and public spaces.

Regional Office / Program

Case Overview

Environmental and public health groups are urging Kern County to reject a severely flawed Draft Environmental Impact Report related to proposed revisions of the county’s oil and gas zoning ordinance.

California is the nation’s third largest oil-producing state, and more than 80 percent of oil produced in the state comes from Kern County. The proposed ordinance revisions, as requested by the oil industry, purport to “streamline” oil and gas permitting and environmental review in Kern County by shielding oil and gas projects from environmental review and public notice requirements for a minimum of 25 years.

This means that local residents, who already breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country, will have little to no recourse to challenge future oil and gas extraction activities, including fracking and other oil drilling projects taking place in close proximity to their homes, schools and public spaces.

A farmer watches oil wells that have sprouted near almond orchards in Shafter, Kern County, California.
A farmer watches oil wells that have sprouted near almond orchards in Shafter, Kern County, California. (Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)

Case Updates

June 26, 2025 Press Release

Community and Environmental Groups Condemn New Oil and Gas Drilling in Kern County

Kern’s Board of Supervisors voted to approve a zoning ordinance that will fast-track thousands of new oil and gas wells in California’s Central Valley

June 12, 2025 Press Release

Community Groups Speak Out Against Kern County Oil and Gas Permitting Ordinance

Kern’s Board of Supervisors to vote on the ordinance by the end of June after a decade of community objection and legal challenges

June 12, 2025 document

Joint Letter Second Supplemental Recirculated Environmental Impact Report Kern County Zoning Ordinance

74 organizations respectfully submit this letter in reference to Kern County’s proposed “Revisions to Title 19-Kern County Zoning Ordinance (2025-A) Focused on Oil and Gas Local Permitting”