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Via Tulsa World
Gov. Mary Fallin on Tuesday said changes in regulatory policies governing disposal wells will not have an immediate impact on the number of earthquakes in the state.
“I think it is important for the people of Oklahoma to understand that just because there is a change in regulatory policy doesn’t mean you are going to see an action next week or one month or two months or six months,” Fallin said. “It could be a year until we see a measurable difference. We are trying to figure out day by day what is the best thing to do.”
She was complimentary of actions taken by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which required some disposal well operators to reduce volume and the depth of waste-water injections. Disposal wells have been tied to the increased number of earthquakes.
Tim Baker, a staff member of the Corporation Commission, said the agency could go through the legal process to seek a moratorium on disposal wells, but it could be drawn out. The agency has had good cooperation from the industry and hopes to continue to use administrative remedies, he said.
Fallin’s comments came after a meeting of the Coordinating Council on Seismic Activity, a panel she created about a year ago that includes agency officials, members of the industry and academia.