Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum Speaks About OK Earthquakes

Oklahoma earthquakes now have the attention of presidential hopefuls.

Nearly every possible republican candidate is in Oklahoma City for the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. Our News 9's Justin Dougherty asked one about fracking, and his awareness of the quakes.

Earthquakes in Oklahoma could now be part of the presidential debate. Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum spoke on the issue and his thoughts on energy independence.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Texas Governor Rick Perry and Senator Santorum all spoke on stage at the SRLC. All three also touched on education and their stance against common core. But the most consistent message they want America to be independent of foreign oil. 

We were able to speak Senator Santorum directly on the issue and his thoughts on fracking.

"It's a safe way to extract oil and gas. And we need to continue to have oversight and keep studying it but there are almost, there are insignificant number of instances where it's been bad for the environment. It's not. It's an incredibly powerful way of improving the quality of life,” said Sen. Santorum.

Following that response we also asked Senator Santorum about drilling regulations, and Oklahoma earthquakes that the geological society blames on waste water injection wells.

"A lot drillers treat the water instead of re injecting it as that's something we could look at but it's not a reason not to frack you don't have to re inject water. There's other ways to re inject water without treating it," said Sen. Santorum.

Speakers planned Friday, Senator Marco Rubio and Governor Jeb Bush.