Earthquakes, fracking and injection wells and politicians who promote special interests will be the target of “Earth (Quake) Day’ at the State Capitol on Tuesday. Sponsored by the Sierra Club, the Oklahoma Interfaith Power and Light, the Oklahoma Conference of Churches and Stop Fracking Payne County, Rep. Richard Morrissette is taking a advantage as he plans to use the march and public rally to promote his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in a bid to unseat Republican Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy.
The day will begin at 8:09 a.m. with a march from the south plaza of the Capitol to the 1st floor where a rally will be held featuring Rep. Morrissette. The Oklahoma City legislator describes the event as a rally to” protest state politicians who promote special interests at the expense of the average Oklahoman—as exemplified by the enactment of Senate Bill 809, which prohibits municipalities from restricting oil and gas drilling, fracking and disposal/injection wells within their city limits.”
Morrissette did not vote on the controversial measure that was signed into law last May by Gov. Mary Fallin. He was absent on the day the house passed the bill on a 64-32 vote. Rep. Morrissette notes that all 64 votes were cast by Republicans.
Morrissette claims SB 809 was introduced and approved by the Republican-controlled legislature “without engagement and input from the people who have been deprived of local control to protect their homes and businesses.”
He calls Tuesday’s rally an “opportunity for Oklahomans to voice their opinions about limited representation at the State Capitol.”
But he has joined the Sierra Club and other environmentalists in attacking the state’s actions and what he contends is slow movement in responding to the earthquakes that many scientists now believe were caused by increased use of wastewater injection wells in the state. He has also supported measures in the legislature to have ensured earthquake insurance proection for Oklahoma property owners.
Others who plan to speak at the rally include: Angela Spotts of Stop Fracking Payne County; Rev. Doctor William Tabbernee, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches; Johnson Bridgwater, director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club; Lisa Griggs of the Logan County Oklahoma Coalition Against Induced Seismicity; Scott Poynter of the Poynter Law Group; Wes Horinek of the Ponca Tribe and former attorney general Drew Edmondson who is with the Oklahoma Stewardship Council.
