Demand the truth about fracking and earthquakes

Thirty years ago, an earthquake in Oklahoma was a pretty rare thing. Last year, the Sooner State had 585.

The increase coincides with expanded hydraulic
fracturing (fracking) to extract natural gas and the
deep earth disposal of wastewater used in those
operations -- not that you'd know that from
listening to Big Oil's lobbyists at the American
Petroleum Institute.

Communities like yours deserve the truth. Urge the American Petroleum Institute to acknowledge the link between fracking and increased seismic activity.

According to the nation's foremost experts on
earthquakes -- scientists at the US Geological Survey -- the number of magnitude 3 or greater
earthquakes in the eastern and central United
States has increased exponentially since 2009. That increase coincides with expanded wastewater injection activities that are a key part of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations to extract natural gas.

Places like Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Ohio, and
Colorado have never been known for their seismic
activity. Now these states experience regular
earthquakes. Most quakes are small, but scientists say that larger quakes in Raton Basin, Colorado, and Prague, Oklahoma were likely induced by fracking-related activities.

It's a connection that Big Oil flatly denies. In fact,
the oil and gas industry's main lobbying group, the American Petroleum Institute, says point blank on its website that "hydraulic fracturing does not cause earthquakes."

That's bad enough, but on at least one occasion Big Oil used its political connections in Oklahoma to put pressure on a scientist who had linked fracking to increased seismic activity. A seismologist whose office is attached to the University of Oklahoma was summoned by the school's president to meet with the head of one of Oklahoma's largest oil and gas companies not longbafter issuing a statement linking fracking to increased seismic activity in the state.

When science is denied and researchers are
intimidated, the American public is left in the dark about possible risks. And that threatens the safety of the communities where we live.

Please take a moment right now to sign this urgent petition to the head of the American Petroleum institute and let Big Oil's lobbyists know that America demands safety and transparency from our energy companies.


With Gratitude,

Chris B.
The Care2 Petitions Team

Take Action:
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/ALghU/zqcp/cgXN8