To: Governor Kevin Stitt
Gov. Fallin: Stop the Earthquakes in Oklahoma!
I urge you to protect the people and the state of Oklahoma from the increasing and destructive earthquakes and to issue a moratorium on oil and gas wastewater injection wells.
For years, geologists and other scientists have linked the disposal of oil and gas wastewater into injection wells with an increase earthquakes. High-pressure injection well sites can trigger earthquakes, and, without action, they will continue to put our health, safety and water quality at risk.
On April 21, the Oklahoma Geological Survey and your administration publicly made the connection between the significant and rapid increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma and oil and gas wastewater injection wells. With countless people's lives and livelihoods at stake, it would be irresponsible and short-sighted to allow oil and gas wastewater disposal methods that induce damaging earthquakes.
I urge you to protect your constituents by enacting a statewide moratorium on oil and gas wastewater injection wells.
Why is this important?
Oklahoma is not a state known for its seismic activity. However, Oklahoma has had a rapid and significant increase in earthquakes in the past six years, and in 2014 it topped the list as the state with the most earthquakes!
The increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma is linked to the increase in oil and gas wastewater injection wells. These injection wells, where the oil and gas industry disposes of polluted water from fracking, disrupt the fault zones, which causes earthquakes.
The earthquakes in Oklahoma are too serious to ignore. Governor Mary Fallin has the power to enact a moratorium on oil and gas wastewater injection wells and stop the earthquakes in Oklahoma.