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Pawnee Nation First to Use Tribal Courts to Sue Oil Companies Over Quake Damage

The Pawnee Nation on Friday filed a lawsuit against several oil and gas companies, accusing the firms of operating wastewater injection sites that triggered the record 5.8-magnitude September 2016 earthquake and caused extensive damage to the tribe’s nearly century-old buildings.

The Associated Press’ Sean Murphy reports the lawsuit is first quake-related litigation filed in a tribal court:

The case will be heard in the tribe’s district court with a jury composed of Pawnee Nation members. An appeal could be heard by a five-member tribal Supreme Court, and that decision would be final.

Copyright 2021 StateImpact Oklahoma. To see more, visit StateImpact Oklahoma.

Joe Wertz