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Taft staff brief commissioners on Kern County oil-and-gas permitting overhaul and EIR; public hearing planned
Summary
Taft Planning Director Mark briefed the commission June 4 on Kern County’s code update and EIR intended to streamline permitting for new oil and gas wells, including proposed impact fees for air quality, biology and transportation and an expedited review track.
Taft Planning Director Mark told the Planning Commission on June 4 that Kern County is revising its oil and gas permit code and circulating an environmental impact report (EIR) that would establish mitigation fees and an expedited review track for new wells and associated site compounds.
Mark described the project as a code update—similar in form to a local zoning code chapter—and said the county’s EIR identifies likely impact fees to address air‑quality impacts (to regional or state air quality boards), biological impacts (to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and transportation impacts (potential fees to Kern County and Caltrans for additional truck traffic). He said the county intends an expedited review pathway that staff characterized as “as close to over the counter as it can be” for this type of permitting, with an anticipated short administrative review window on the order of days to a couple of weeks, plus an application fee and additional impact fees.
Mark said the effort has been in motion since about 2018, went through a prior revision during the COVID period, and has repeatedly been challenged after Board of Supervisors approvals. He urged interested parties to consult the Kern County Planning Department agenda and contact the listed planner; he said the county planning commission was scheduled to meet June 5 for further consideration and that the Board of Supervisors would likely review the project later at a regular board meeting.
Mark also said that stakeholders supporting the revision, including industry and county planning staff, have driven the effort and that written comments or letters of support could be submitted on short notice through the planner contact on the county agenda. He encouraged residents who wish to comment to use the county’s stated public‑comment channels and noted the item will move from county planning commission to the board for final action.
No formal action was taken by the City of Taft Planning Commission on the county project during the meeting; the session was informational and advisory in nature.
