On Jan. 12, I attended a meeting in Tehachapi where the Eastern Air Pollution Control Board met to discuss a recommendation by the grand jury to combine the Eastern and Western Kern Air Pollution Control Boards.

I believe the problem with this idea is obvious: By combining the control boards, businesses and residences in the Eastern Kern County area could soon be regulated by the stricter standards that are established for the Western County. These standards could include winter household regulations, such as no burn days for wood burning stoves or fireplaces, which are now currently in effect in the Bakersfield area.

One citizen addressed the board and acknowledged that the stricter standards could have a tremendous negative effect on our national defense missions that occur at Edwards Air Force Base and the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake. Another citizen inquired as to why the grand jury had made the recommendation to combine the two pollution control districts in the first place. Although the actual reason appears to be unknown, there was speculation that combining the two boards could somehow cut costs. However I do not think the recommendation took into account the drastic financial losses from taxes and revenue that could occur if new restrictions were imposed on Eastern Kern County. The Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District was extremely receptive to citizens’ concerns and recommended that the two control districts stay separate. It is my opinion that we do not combine the two pollution control districts. Kern County should not fit under a one-size-fits-all agenda.

Daures Stephens,

Candidate for Kern County’s 1st District Supervisor