Huge Gas Flare Burning in Polluted Air

Thursday 9 January 2014 01:06:00 AM

Location: 1/2 mile Southeast of the corner of Lerdo Hwy and Rowlee Road

Categorie: Air

Description:

For longer than the past week the portable oil well flare seen in the video has been burning with 10 foot flames and polluting the air of Kern County with significant amount of NOx, VOC's, and fine particulates. A complaint was made to the air district on January 8, 2014. An inspector said the flare was permitted. It is obvious that the owner of the flare does not have to pay any fine nor perform any mitigation for making the air worse than it already is and for damaging peoples' health. At the same time the general public has been forbidden to burn their fireplaces. For the week of January 1-7, 2014, the 24 hour PM 2.5 measurements for Kern County averaged 73.8 micrograms per cubic meter. This level of pollution creates a health hazard for every person who has to be outside. The air district is definitely not doing their job to protect public health. This complaint is therefore being made against the purposeful negligent action of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors.