Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has asked President Trump to label the coronavirus pandemic an “act of God,” a legal declaration that would help oil-producing states reckon with historic drops in oil prices, per Reuters.

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Stitt posted a copy of the letter on Twitter Saturday, initially thanking President Trump for his “continued leadership and support of the states,” and proceeding to outline the struggles that Oklahoma and other oil-producing states have faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today I sent a letter to President @realdonaldtrump to ask for him to declare the #COVID19 pandemic an “Act of God” to provide aid to our oil and gas industry and to protect the environment.



Oklahoma, we are in this together and we will get through this. pic.twitter.com/JSnNCWhXfz — Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) April 25, 2020

“Over-production of oil continues to threaten the economy, posing many potential environmental threats to Oklahoma and other producing states with no demand and rapidly diminishing storage capacity,” he wrote. Stitt further expressed his concern that these turbulent economic conditions could lead to “parties taking advantage of an opportunity to cancel leases as a result of the curtailment of production.”

Declaring the coronavirus pandemic and its related shutdown an “act of God” would allow oil companies to halt operations without losing land leases, Reuters reported Stitt as saying.

Oil prices went negative for the first time in U.S. history last week, with demand for all types of oil down 30 percent as much of the world shelters in place.

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