Oklahomans concerned about earthquakes showed up at the capitol in numbers.
Hundreds came for what turned into a daylong public hearing hosted by Rep. Richard Morrissette. Payne County resident Jackie Dill said it’s hard to keep track of all the earthquakes there, but she remembers one of the big ones.
"My front porch separated from my house. The rafters in my roof buckled, and my foundation is cracked," Dill said. "The rock walls are cracked up through a 2-inch cement windowsill on all windows."
Morrissette urged those in attendance to write letters to their lawmakers. He noted a conspicuous absence early in the day.
"We were hoping the governor was going to be here today," Morrissette said. "But she still has time to be here. I hope they're watching live stream downstairs on the second floor. Maybe some of you ought to go knock on her door and see if she's home."
The governor’s press secretary said she spent the day working on economic issues, including the state budget. Corporation Commissioners were also absent as dozens of people spoke about how hundreds of earthquakes have affected them and said their complaints aren’t being heard by state officials.
Petroleum geologist Bob Jackman says shutting down the right wastewater injection wells would give time for needed research and decrease the number of earthquakes. Jackman said with low oil prices putting a damper on production, the time is now.
"We have a window of time here to stop the earthquakes," Jackman said. "If we had a governor that had balls, they would call out the National Guard."
Earlier, Jackman referred to former Gov. William Murray. In 1931, Murray called in the National Guard in to shut down three thousand oil wells in an effort to boost oil prices.
