WASHINGTON - Today House Natural Resources Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva introduced the Preventing Preventable Earthquakes Act, which would require states and the EPA to enforce provisions designed to prevent the occurrence of seismicity. The bill would also require state programs to be reviewed every five years to make sure they are on the path to zero induced seismicity. This bill comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s announcement that he will appoint Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a fracking supporter, to head the EPA. Oklahoma has experienced hundreds of earthquakes each year as a result of its oil and gas industry.

Benjamin Schreiber, climate and energy director at Friends of the Earth, issued the following response:

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Now more than ever the climate movement needs champions like Ranking Member Grijalva and we thank him for his leadership. The first step to cleaning up Pruitt’s earthquake disaster is to stop it from getting worse. Today Ranking Member Grijalva is taking a step to stop Scott Pruitt and his industry friends from creating even more earthquakes in Oklahoma and across the country. It is clear that Donald Trump is willing to put Americans at risk in order to pump industry profits out of our natural resources. Friends of the Earth stands with Ranking Member Grijalva in his effort to stem the destructive and short-sighted effects of fracking on communities across the United States.

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