Kern County's air is improving. That's according to the 2013 report by the State Air Pollution Control officers. But, while the air isn't as dirty here, it's like we just washed our hands compared to much of the rest of the state.
The good news is last year, the San Joaquin Valley did not violate the hourly ozone federal standard.
The bad news is we still fail the eight-hour standard, and we are one of only three districts that has too much particulate matter in our air.
"We still have some of the worst air quality in the nation. We have seen improvement, but we still need to work to make sure we meet these goals that are still in front of us," said Jaime Holt, Chief Communications Officer at the San Joaquin Valley Air District.
Holt says since last year was the first time we did not violate the hourly ozone standard, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to grant their November request, and lift its $29 million car tab fine.
However, come this dry winter, air quality started to deteriorate again pushing our particulate matter levels past failing and nearly exceeding the eight-hour ozone standard that is typically high only in the summer months.
"We hadn't had any rain and we had that weather system that kind of parked here and it was just stagnation for about, it was almost 45 days," said Holt.
And, the state saw triple the amount of wildfires in January and they have continued.
Still, Holt says cars continue to contribute 80 percent of of the air pollution we have in the valley.
"We need to be driving less. We need to be getting cleaner trucks, cars, school buses out on the roads," said Holt.
Holt says we should find out next year if the EPA lifts the car registration penalty of $12 per vehicle.
The next goal is to pass the federal eight-hour ozone standard, now achieved by 63 percent of the state.