Representatives of several diverse groups delivered a petition to the governor’s office today asking for a moratorium on injection wells in Oklahoma.
"If we can shut those down for a time period specified, that should show us that the earthquakes will subside, and we'll have fewer and less influenced earthquakes," said Barbara VanHanken with Clean Energy Future Oklahoma.
That group is part of the Coalition to Stop Induced Seismicity, which brought a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to Gov. Mary Fallin's office. Fallin’s office says she doesn’t have the authority to issue a moratorium on injection wells.
Stop Fracking Payne County co-founder Angela Spotts doesn’t believe that’s the case. The group is part of the coalition.
"Oklahoma's governor has less power than the other governors that did the moratoriums in their states?" Spotts said. "Ohio, Arkansas, Colorado — there have been moratoriums put in place."
Fallin’s office says the Corporation Commission regulates drilling.
Spokesman Matt Skinner said commissioners have been asked about a moratorium before.
"And our understanding is — based on what our general counsel has told us — that is not an option available to us," Skinner said. "The other options, though, that we have on the table, is a broader scale, directed volume cutback and various other options."
The commission has identified 16 counties with the highest potential for fracking waste water disposal causing earthquakes and says more than 200 injection wells have shut down or cut their volumes by half since March.
