Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy thanked Governor Fallin and lawmakers who worked to pass House Bill 3158, clarifying the authority of the Corporation Commission (OCC) to respond to the risk of induced earthquakes.
The bill allows the OCC to take emergency action with regard to disposal well operation or other activities within its jurisdiction when public safety or the environment is at risk.
“While I believe the OCC already had this jurisdiction, others challenged this interpretation and argued the OCC’s emergency authority to quickly take action on oil and gas activities without having a hearing first was limited to situations relating to protecting fresh water,” Commissioner Murphy explained. “HB 3158 clarifies the OCC’s jurisdiction to take emergency action.”
“The OCC staff has worked very hard to build an earthquake division here at the OCC from the ground up to address the critical earthquake issue. I have supported those efforts and have been involved with this complex issue since the first public meeting I held in 2011 to discuss the need to share geological information following the Prague earthquake,” said Commissioner Murphy.
“We must ensure public safety while providing due process and balancing the diverse interests of many stakeholders, including homeowners, business owners, royalty interest owners and the energy industry. While the latest data from the Oklahoma Geological Survey is encouraging, we must continue to follow the law and science in formulating well-reasoned solutions to this complicated problem,” Commissioner Murphy stated.
Authored by House Speaker Jeff Hickman, the bill authorizes the OCC to take whatever action is necessary, without notice of hearing, to promptly respond to emergency situations having potentially critical environmental or public safety impact and resulting from activities within its jurisdiction including without limitation the issuance or execution of administrative agreements by the OCC’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division. The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 18 and took effect immediately.
