The Smoggiest Town In America

The Central California town of Arvin exceeds federal ozone standards more often than any other city in the nation, according to EPA figures. But for Arvin residents, the smog has only local effects, not local sources.

1 minute read

August 12, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Hemmed in by mountains, Arvin is the final destination for pollutants from cities as far away as San Francisco Bay, and its wheezing residents are paying the price. Many of them complain that the air smells toxic."

"Arvin has none of the smoke-belching factories or congested freeways of cities such as Los Angeles. In fact, it produces little pollution. But the pollutants that blow in from elsewhere get trapped by the mountains, causing airborne particles to coat homes and streets and blot out views of the nearby Tehachapi range on hot summer days."

"Doctors and public officials say asthma and other respiratory problems are common among the 15,000 residents who live 20 miles southeast of Bakersfield. People complain of watery eyes, dry throats and inexplicable coughs, particularly in the summer, when temperatures can climb over 100 degrees and stay there for days."

Friday, August 10, 2007 in Associated Press via The York Dispatch

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17, 2025 - San José Spotlight

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Electric 18-wheeler truck plugged into electric charger.

California Set to Increase Electric Truck Chargers by 25%

The California Transportation Commission approved funding for an additional 500 charging ports for electric trucks along some of the state’s busiest freight corridors.

July 25 - Natural Resources Defense Council

Workers in safety vests installing large solar panels in Southern California desert landscape.

21 Climate Resilience Projects Cancelled by the EPA

The federal government has pulled funding for at least 21 projects related to farming, food systems, and environmental justice to comply with one of Trump’s early executive orders.

July 25 - Civil Eats

Police clearing a homeless encampment in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Trump Executive Order on Homelessness Calls for Forced Institutionalization

The order seeks to remove legal precedents and consent decrees that prevent cities from moving unhoused people from the street to treatment centers.

July 25 - USA Today