We Understand. We Listen. We Act.

Advocacy: What We Are Fighting For

A community foundation is also a voice. These are the fights EKCCF is in publicly, on behalf of Boron and East Kern residents. If you have information, questions, or want to get involved, contact us.

In Memory of Mitchel Nakaahiki: Completing Boron Park

On September 15, 2026, our community lost Mitchel Nakaahiki. Mitchel gave years of his life building a place where the children of this town could play, compete, and belong. We have submitted a proposal to Kern County to finish what he started and dedicate the completed Boron Park in his memory.

What We Are Doing:

  • Mitchel's Park Proposal: We have submitted a proposal to Kern County to finish Boron Park and dedicate it in Mitchel's memory. The funding source we have identified is the California Statewide Park Program Round 5, funded under Proposition 4 and administered by California State Parks: 188.5 million dollars available statewide, no local match required, and Boron qualifies on every need criterion. Applications are due December 17, 2026.

  • We Will Help Write the Grant: EKCCF is ready to help Kern County write and assemble the application so the County gets the funding it needs to finish the park: the splash pad, the baseball field, the snack bar structure, and the dedication of the finished facility in Mitchel's honor.

  • A Community Dedication: When the park is complete, we want to see a public dedication with permanent memorial signage so that Mitchel's contribution to Boron is remembered here forever.

Contact the County to Show Your Support for Mitchel:

Tell Kern County you want Boron Park finished and dedicated in Mitchel Nakaahiki's memory. A short call or email is enough.

  • Chris Parlier, Supervisor, Kern County District 2: (661) 868-3660, [email protected]

  • Craig Murphy, Director, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources: (661) 862-8600, [email protected]

Aratina Dust and Air Quality

Residents around the Aratina solar site have watched dust leave the property during grading and have real health, property, and quality-of-life concerns. In a region already fighting Valley Fever, airborne dust is not a nuisance issue, it is a public health issue.

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Valley Fever cases residents have reported to EKCCF as testing positive since April 2026. Count maintained by EKCCF from resident-reported results; it is not an official public health statistic.

What We Are Doing:

  • Evidence Collection with Legal Counsel: We help legal counsel gather firsthand documentation from residents who witnessed dust events during grading. If you witnessed dust and want to submit a statement, use the Aratina/Sunrise Dust Evidence form.

  • Confidential Reporting Support: Your information is handled with care. Counsel decides how it is used, and we do not publish resident names without permission.

  • Public Health Framing: We document dust exposure in a region where Valley Fever is endemic, share that record with public health officials, and advocate for enforcement of the air quality standards Kern County imposed as conditions of Aratina's own permit.

The County Record:

The documents Kern County has provided to EKCCF in response to our Public Records Act requests on the Aratina Solar Project are published here as we received them, without edits or summaries. If you want to know what the record shows, read it yourself.

Key County Documents:

Go Straight To:

Wind Data:

Hourly wind observations from KEDW (Edwards Air Force Base), the nearest public weather instrument, about 15 miles southwest of Boron, for March 1 to June 30, 2026. Wind came predominantly from the southwest in every month. Wind from that direction would carry airborne dust from the Aratina area east and northeast toward Boron. Highest reported gust: 47.2 mph on April 2 and April 22. Highest sustained wind: 34.5 mph on April 2. Longest stretch at or above 15 mph: 21 straight hours on May 26. Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of KEDW METAR reports. These are readings at KEDW, not on-site Boron measurements.

Solar Buildout Around Boron:

Aratina is not alone. As of March 2026, 18 utility-scale solar projects sit within 25 miles of Boron, totaling 2,266 MW and 14,088 acres across Kern and San Bernardino counties: 4 operating, 6 under construction, 4 planned, 2 approved, 2 withdrawn. The six Aratina sites under construction alone cover 2,317 acres (710 MW), the nearest 1.2 miles from town. Sources: Kern County Planning solar map (November 2025), the Aratina EIR, San Bernardino County project files, and EIA Form 860.

Community Benefits Agreements:

When a community hosts thousands of acres of energy infrastructure, it can negotiate for something in return. A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a signed, enforceable contract between a developer and the host community that spells out what the community receives: local hiring, a community fund, infrastructure investment, air monitoring, or direct payments to local priorities. To our knowledge, Boron has hosted this buildout without a Community Benefits Agreement. EKCCF is advocating for Kern County and the developers operating around Boron to bring the community to the table before the next permit is issued, and we are studying how other communities have done it.

Witnessed dust at Aratina? Submit Dust Evidence (Google sign-in required to attach photos or video).

Water Access

Boron families deserve clean, reliable water. We advocate publicly for infrastructure repair, transparent decision-making about who pays for what, and accountability from the agencies responsible for keeping systems safe.

What We Are Doing:

  • Public Advocacy for Repair Funding: We push publicly for state and federal water infrastructure investment in East Kern and for the funding programs that reach small rural systems.

  • Agency Accountability: We track decisions made by Boron CSD, AVEK, and Kern County on water system operations, and we report what we find to the community.

  • See Our Water Work in Full: The complete scope of our water infrastructure work, including partnerships with RCAP, RCAC, Self-Help Enterprises, and our pursuit of SAFER, DWSRF, and USDA funding, is documented on our Programs page.

County Accountability and Funding Equity

East Kern receives a fraction of the county resources that other regions of Kern County get. We push publicly and in writing for funding equity, honest environmental review, and permit processes that put residents ahead of outside interests.

What We Are Doing:

  • Public Written Advocacy: We submit written comment on county funding, environmental review, and permit decisions that affect East Kern residents.

  • Meeting Attendance and Documentation: We attend Board of Supervisors, Kern LAFCo, and Water Agency meetings that touch East Kern and document what is said.

  • Reporting What We Find: When county decisions do not reflect our residents, we say so publicly.

Stand With Us: How to Get Involved

If you have witnessed dust events at Aratina, if you have information about county decisions affecting East Kern, if you want to comment on the Boron mine sale, or if you simply want to know how you can help, reach out. The strongest advocacy is built on the voices of the people who live here.

Contact EKCCF: