Manmade earthquakes consumer product safety issue, says state Rep

On Tuesday, February 23, Oklahoma State Rep. Richard Morrissette (D-OKC) held a town hall meeting about the state’s earthquake problems featuring activist Erin Brockovich. The morning before the meeting, which was held at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, there was a 3.9 quake near Edmond.

“Many attending my town hall on Tuesday expressed a high level of fear and anxiety,” said Morrissette, on Thursday morning, after another quake centered in Langston shook Oklahoma City. Thursday’s quake was a 4.0 magnitude, at 5:39 a.m.

Brockovich, the keynote speaker at the town hall, focused her remarks on water quality and conservation. “How can we continue to inject millions and millions and millions of gallons of water into these wells?” she asked.

Those in attendance at the town hall asked Morrissette what could be done immediately. Some of the panelists seemed to agree upon the need to cease waste water injection, until further study can take place. Others said that to simply reduce injection quantities leaves too much uncertainty as to the effectiveness of such an effort.

Other suggestions focused on activating the legislature to “do the right thing.”

“Even if local governments wanted to enact a moratorium, last legislative session’s SB 809 by Marlatt, Crain, Shortey, Griffin, Sharp and Bingman of the Senate takes that option off the table,” conceded Morrissette.

 “I can tell you water is like gold, property damage unacceptable and living in fear disabling. So, number one, give back local control to local governments [repeal SB809-2015] and we need to number two, use the existing consumer product safety laws, in order to find remedies for our consumers who have not been protected from harm in the production of oil and gas. These are two things we can do, immediately.” concluded Morrissette.

State government has responded to the earthquake situation by establishing the Coordinating Council on Seismic Activity. The Council is charged with organizing state resources and related activities related to Oklahoma’s recent increase in seismic activity. It meets regularly to share data, studies, developments and proposed actions related to Oklahoma’s earthquakes.

The Coordinating Council is not a fact-finding or rulemaking body. Its primary mission is to bring about more efficient and effective action through the collaboration of interested stakeholders from across the state—these stakeholders include not only regulators and industry, but also academics, non-governmental organizations and an environment-focused association.

Morrissette has been a strong critic of state action on earthquakes. On December 30, according to CapitolBeatOK.com, Morrissette said, “The Fallin Administration continues to ‘pass the buck’ on oilfield disposal wells linked to earthquakes.

“’When I recommended that Governor Fallin order all wastewater disposal wells in seismically active areas to be shut in, her spokesman said she doesn’t have the authority to issue a moratorium on disposal wells,’ Morrissette related.”

On Tuesday, April 12 at 8:09 a.m., Morrissette will host his next rally. The number 809 is being used to signify Senate bill 809 that effectively took away the ability of local governments and communities to decide where and when drilling and injection can take place and gave absolute control to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The location of the rally will be at the state Capitol.

“We need to fully evaluate how this state proceeds - going forward - in dealing with the methods of gas and oil production. Also, our tax dollars are taxpayer assets that should never be used to pay for industry mistakes,” said Morrissette.

To learn more about the earthquake situation in Oklahoma, visit www.Earthquakes.OK.gov.

The Gayly – February 25, 2016 @ 2:30 p.m.