This Billionaire Tried to Get University Scientists Fired for Doing Their Job

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/312-16/30212-this-billionaire-tried-to-get-university-scientists-fired-for-doing-their-job

Despite a growing body of scientific research connecting oil and gas activity to a dramatic spike in earthquakes across several U.S. states, some industry leaders are fighting this characterization. Harold Hamm, billionaire CEO of Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources, told a dean at the University of Oklahoma last year that he was so displeased by the university’s research on the topic that he wanted certain scientists dismissed, Bloomberg News reported.

In an email to colleagues dated July 16, 2014 and obtained by Bloomberg, Larry Grillot, the dean of the university’s Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, said that he had met with Hamm, a major donor to the university, to discuss his concerns about earthquake reporting by the Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS), which is housed in the university. “Mr. Hamm is very upset at some of the earthquake reporting to the point that he would like to see select OGS staff dismissed,” Grillot wrote, adding that Hamm indicated he would be meeting with Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) to discuss moving the OGS out of the university.

OGS seismologist Austin Holland was summoned to meet with Hamm and university president David Boren in late 2013 to discuss some of his findings linking fracking activity to earthquakes. In an interview with EnergyWire published earlier this week, Hamm denied any attempt to bully the scientist: “We care about the industry,” he said. “When people disparage parts of it, I want to know why. I want to know what basis they have for doing that.”

According to state officials, the average rate of earthquakes in Oklahoma is now 600 times higher than historical averages. An unprecedented 20 small quakes were recorded in one day alone last year. Multiple scientific studies have pointed to a specific aspect of oil and gas extraction as the likely cause for the uptick in seismic activity: wastewater injection. As ThinkProgress’ Emily Atkin explained, “scientists increasingly believe that the large amount of water that is injected into the ground after a well is fracked can change the state of stress on existing fault lines to the point of failure, causing earthquakes.”

[Ferretherder]

1. Billionaires have an intrinsic knowledge of ANY subject they wish to discuss!

I mean, you can't make all of that money and not know what you're talking about, right?................

........right?.............

...uh, or is he just a guy who has a shit-load of cash and, from an uninformed, 'sideline' stance on this issue, is screaming at anyone who questions, in the least little way, how he got all of that money?

...hmmmmmmmm.