Pollution in Kern County, California

Kern County contains 423 EPA-regulated facilities, 49 of which are currently flagged for significant noncompliance. The county also hosts 2 Superfund sites and 35 TRI chemical reporters. EPA has assessed $38.1M in lifetime penalties and TRI reporters disclosed roughly 5.7M lb of on-site releases. That facility count is well above the California state average of 108 per county.

Superfund2NPL sites
TRI Facilities35reporters
EPA Facilities423regulated
Sig. Violators49current SNC

Superfund sites

SiteCityStatus
Brown Bryant Inc Arvin PlantArvinCleanup underway
Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards AfbCleanup underway

Largest releasers

FacilityCityOn-site (lb)Status
Clean Harbors Buttonwillow, LlcButtonwillow5.3MPenalties
Frito-Lay, Inc.Bakersfield107.0kSig. violation
U.s. Air Force Base Edwards Afb CaEdwards106.8kCompliant
Containment Solutions IncBakersfield105.5kPenalties
National Cement CoLebec44.0kCompliant
Ca Portland Cement CoMojave7.4kCompliant
Kemiron Pacific IncMojave6.7kCompliant
Tehachapi Cement PlantTehachapi6.7kCompliant
Kern EnergyBakersfield4.8kSig. violation
Alon Bakersfield RefineryBakersfield4.0kSig. violation
Nalco Co LlcBakersfield3.8kCompliant
Building Materials Mfg Corp (Dba Gaf)Shafter3.0kPenalties
Ennis Paint IncBakersfield2.9kCompliant
Prc-De Soto International IncMojave2.8kCompliant
Baker Performance ChemicalsBakersfield2.4kCompliant
Nusil Technology LlcBakersfield2.4kSig. violation
New Carrot Farms Llc Dba Bolthouse Fresh FoodsBakersfield2.4kCompliant
San Joaquin Refining Co IncBakersfield1.9kSig. violation
Trical Inc.Mojave1.5kCompliant
Hoover Treated Wood Products, Inc.Bakersfield859Compliant
Usnaval Air Weapons StnRidgecrest635Penalties
Jg Boswell Tomato Company, Kern LlcButtonwillow499Compliant
Argo Chemical, Inc.Shafter246Penalties
Petrolite Corp Bakersfield Blend PlantBakersfield195Compliant
Betz Laboratories, IncBakersfield170Compliant
Elk Corporation Of TexasShafter156Penalties
Taft Manufacturing LlcTaft5Compliant
Innovative Coatings Tech. Corp (Incotec Corporation)Mojave3Penalties
Golden Queen Mining CompanyMojave2Compliant

Significant violators

FacilityCityPenaltiesLast Inspected
Kern EnergyBakersfield$4.9M2026-01-06
Sentinel Peak Resources Ca LlcBakersfield$1.1M2025-11-19
Aera Energy BelridgeMckittrick$1.1M2026-03-10
Vintage Petroleum, IncBakersfield$856.5k2025-10-23
Aera Energy Llc Aes 08252016Bakersfield$855.7k2026-03-12
Naval Petroleum Reserve #1Tupman$672.0k2025-10-09
Chevron Usa-Taft Light OilTaft$630.4k2025-02-04
Chevron Usa/Mcfarland EnergyBakersfield$605.0k2025-08-05
California Resources Production CorpBakersfield$601.8k2025-10-23
San Joaquin Refining Co IncBakersfield$409.7k2025-11-19
Chevron Usa Inc- Heavy OilTaft$301.7k2025-12-03
Frito-Lay, Inc.Bakersfield$296.0k2025-01-16
Pacific Pipeline System, LlcMaricopa$261.0k2025-11-03
Chevron Usa_(Formerly Midway Sunset Oil)Fellows$251.7k2024-10-22
Berry Petroleum Company LlcBakersfield$221.3k2025-12-10
Vintage Petroleum IncBakersfield$175.5k2025-12-10
Seneca ResourcesMckittrick$171.0k2025-12-03
Pacific Pipeline System, LlcMettler$115.5k2025-11-04
Mt. Poso Cogeneration FacilityBakersfield$100.0k2025-09-17
Tricor Refining, LlcBakersfield$95.0k2026-01-08
Plains Marketing, LpBakersfield$93.0k2025-11-05
California Resources Production CorpBakersfield$91.8k2025-04-16
Alon Bakersfield RefineryBakersfield$85.5k2026-02-25
South Coles Levee Gas PlantTupman$84.9k2026-01-21
Arco Oil And Gas CompanyBakersfield$82.5k2024-11-12
Pacific Pipeline System, LlcTaft$69.0k2025-11-03
Atlantic Oil CompanyBakersfield$66.5k2025-12-29
Asv Wines IncMcfarland$60.4k2025-01-31
Franzia McfarlandMc Farland$47.3k2024-10-23
Canfield Ranch Holdings, LlcKern County$43.0k2025-09-11
Linn Operating IncBakersfield$37.2k2025-10-15
Grade 6 Oil, Llc - KrhSec6, T29s, R28e$35.0k2025-06-05
Plains Pipeline, Lp Pentland Pump StatBakersfield$28.1k2025-11-05
California Resources Production CorpKern County$21.4k2025-10-29
San Joaquin FacilitiesBakersfield$16.1k2025-02-26
Dole EnterprisesBakersfield$15.0k2025-04-16
Naftex Operating Co-Portals Petro LeaseBakersfield$9.0k2025-04-21
Hathaway LlcBakersfield$5.3k2025-05-12
Pacific Process SystemsBakersfield$1.5k2025-03-24
Heck Cellars WineryDi Giorgio$1.2k2025-04-24
Kern River Eastridge Cogeneration FacilityBakersfield$02024-12-05
Cvs Pharmacy #9878Bakersfield$02022-03-15
Nusil Technology LlcBakersfield$02025-02-26
Chevron Usa Holdings Inc, Kern River Cogeneration CoBakersfield$02024-12-05
Stallion Springs WwtfTehachapi$02023-03-08
Phillips 66 Pipeline LlcCalifornia$02025-06-18
Gary Oros (Real Estate)Delano$0
Crimson Resource ManagementBakersfield$02020-04-14
Golden State Metals, Inc.Bakersfield$02026-03-03