Environmentalists say a recent earthquake in Oklahoma linked to hydraulic fracturing wastewater injection wells -which led regulators to shut down operations in the area - show a need for EPA to craft new restrictions on well siting and measures to prevent further quakes, as well as stronger remedies for victims, including restitution. In particular, environmentalists argue that Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) permitting of "Class II" wells used in oil and gas wastewater injection should take better account of seismic risks and other factors. "It's been documented for a long time that when you inject water underground, or produce water from underground, you can cause earthquakes. It would be very helpful to have seismic studies done for new wells, but at the federal level, under EPA's Class II rules, that's not required," says a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Center (NRDC).
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