Chicken-Fried News: Running interference

Chicken-Fried News: Green gobblin
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Science shows that Oklahoma earthquakes are likely caused by the fracking process.

“There is now a heap of peer-reviewed research finding that Oklahoma’s earthquake swarm is directly linked to fracking — not the gas drilling itself, but a follow-up step where brackish wastewater is re-injected into disposal wells deep underground,” wrote Tim McDonnell for Mother Jones.

Yay, science!

Also, our state’s overarching political philosophy is that local governments should be free to make the decisions that are best for it, without unneeded interference by outside agencies, including the federal government. At least, that’s the message that our state lawmakers regularly send to Washington, DC.

Yay, liberty!

So, we all agree that Oklahoma is primed and ready to let municipalities decide what’s best and safest for their communities, even if it includes fracking.

Right? Nope.

The Oklahoma Senate and House both approved Senate Bill 809, which prevents any municipality from unilaterally setting its own fracking ban. And our governor signed it.

Wait, what?

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