On October 29, 2015,
the Sierra Club, an environmental association, notified
four oil and gas companies of their intention to file a lawsuit against them
for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act resulting from earthquake
swarms allegedly caused by the companies’ oil and gas disposal well operations
in Oklahoma.
The four companies
involved are Sandridge Exploration and Production, LLC, New Dominion, LLC,
Devon Energy Production Co., LP, and Chesapeake Operating, LLC.
In their claims, the
environmental association argues that the companies are “jointly and severally
liable” for causing or triggering earthquakes in Oklahoma “and is continuing to
do so” which results in “an imminent and substantial endangerment to health and
the environment.” Therefore, the environmental association seeks immediate risk
reduction actions from the companies, such as reducing volume rates of fluid
injection, implementing preventative infrastructure reinforcement, and creating
an independent earthquake monitoring and prediction center.
The lawsuit can proceed
in federal district court ninety (90) days from the companies’ receipt of this
notice of intent.
Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
11/06/2015
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