kern county
Newsletter
California town looks to carbon capture amid oil industry's decline
Kern County explores a novel approach to sustain its economy by leveraging carbon capture technology, shifting from traditional oil revenues.
In short:
- Les Clark III oversees the West Side Recreation and Park District in Taft, heavily funded by the local oil industry, which faces significant decline.
- California Resources Corporation proposes a carbon capture project to rejuvenate local jobs and maintain public services without relying on government bailouts.
- Skepticism remains among local communities about the safety and actual benefits of storing carbon dioxide underground.
Key quote:
"There’s some kind of window of opportunity, because the industry is trying to evolve."
— Les Clark III, manager of the West Side Recreation and Park District in Taft
Why this matters:
Carbon capture and storage technology, which involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from sources like power plants and industrial processes before they enter the atmosphere and storing them underground, is gaining traction globally as a tool to combat global warming. For Kern County, which produces about 70% of California's oil, this technology could transform the very infrastructure that once bolstered its economy into a new, greener legacy.
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Kern County's new bet: Carbon removal industry as a lifeline
In California's Kern County, a bold shift from traditional oil production to carbon removal projects is seen as a potential economic savior and a step toward meeting the state's climate goals.
Emma Foehringer Merchant, Inside Climate News, and Joshua Yeager, KVPR
In short:
- Kern County, historically reliant on oil, is pivoting to carbon capture and storage to combat economic and climate challenges.
- The county's plan includes potentially transformative projects, but faces environmental and community concerns.
- This strategic shift aims to align with California's ambitious target of removing 100 million metric tons of carbon by 2045.
Key quote:
"It’s existential. What is this place going to look like in 30 years? What’s it going to look like in five?"
— Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County's director of planning and natural resources.
Visit EHN's energy section for more top news about energy, climate and health.
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California county's plan to utilize federal funds for carbon capture raises concerns
Kern County, California, aims to harness federal tax credits to build facilities that produce and store carbon dioxide, a move critics view as counterproductive to tackling climate change.
In short:
- Kern County proposes building facilities to create and bury carbon dioxide using federal tax incentives.
- Critics argue that this plan paradoxically leads to more carbon production, with oil companies benefiting financially.
- The primary goal is to sustain the local economy as oil production declines.
Key quote:
Kern’s carbon park has "no purpose except to keep the oil and gas companies in business."
— Mark Jacobson, Stanford University engineering professor
Why this matters:
The plan's focus on producing more carbon to utilize sequestration tax credits challenges traditional approaches to reducing greenhouse gases. How do you think local economies dependent on fossil fuels should transition to sustainable practices without compromising their financial stability?
Californians living within miles of oil and gas wells have toxic air
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Newsletter
Carbon causes climate change. Why does a California county want to make more?
Kern County wants to use billions in federal tax credits to collect and bury carbon. To do so, it would build new facilities to produce more of the most abundant greenhouse gas.
Capping the 1,100 orphaned oil and gas wells polluting Kern County
Through President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, California is one of 24 states charged with changing the process of plugging over 10,000 orphaned gas and oil wells nationwide.
Newsletter
Drought-wracked California allows oil companies to use high-quality water.
California’s oil industry uses hundreds of millions of gallons of freshwater a year in a state with none to spare. Most of that water is used in Kern County, where communities have long lacked affordable, safe drinking water.
California air regulators try to salvage faulty system that permitted 'extreme' pollution
Residents challenge regulators’ claims that they can’t account for toxic oil and gas emissions in the San Joaquin Valley.
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