Faultline

EPA says Oklahoma isn’t doing enough to protect citizens from earthquakes

The Environmental Protection Agency has told Oklahoma officials they aren’t doing enough to protect the state’s drinking water and citizens from strong earthquakes caused by wastewater injection, a letter obtained by The Frontier shows.

State officials responded, saying Gov. Mary Fallin had appointed a task force to study other ways to dispose of wastewater generated by oil and gas drilling and other responses were under consideration.

The letter from Ron Curry, administrator for the EPA’s Region 6, notes that Oklahoma has taken some measures to reduce injection of wastewater produced by oil and gas drilling but states additional measures should be taken.

Ziva Branstetter is the Editor in Chief of The Frontier. Read the rest of this article and more at readfrontier.org.