A rash of 32 earthquakes that shook the state Wednesday night and Thursday increases the likelihood that Oklahoma will experience a higher-magnitude quake, Jeremy Boak, director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey, said Thursday.
Two large earthquakes — one that tied for fourth largest in state history — struck near a town in northwestern Oklahoma less than a minute apart Wednesday night and were followed by 30 smaller quakes through Thursday evening.
Gov. Mary Fallin on May 29 signed into law a bill preventing towns, cities and counties from banning hydraulic fracturing and other oil and gas activities.
Senate Bill 809 was one of several similarly worded bills filed during the 2015 legislative session. Many of the measures were fueled by a voter-approved fracking ban in Denton, Texas, just south of the state line, as well as municipal actions here in Oklahoma, where cities such as Norman and Stillwater were revising and rewriting local oil and gas ordinances.
Under the language of SB 809, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, municipalities have the authority to enact local rules regulating oil and gas-related nuisances, such as noise, traffic and odors, provided such rules are “reasonable.”
Throughout the legislative session and discussion on the anti-frack ban legislation, state lawmakers noted the definition of “reasonable” is open to interpretation, and city officials warned of the potential for lengthy court challenges to any new oil and gas rules they enact.
The Oklahoma Municipal League opposed the bill. The organization’s executive director, Carolyn Stager, said local governments are most responsive to citizens’ concerns about localized oil and gas issues.