Trusting Government to Mitigate a New Hazard: The Case of Oklahoma Earthquakes

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines individual‐level perceptions of knowledge levels, responsibility, and trust in the government's ability and willingness to mitigate the newfound earthquake hazard in Oklahoma. These earthquakes have increased in number and intensity since 2010 and are largely believed to be a by‐product of wastewater injection wells from oil drilling, making them a new, politically complex hazard for residents to navigate. We conducted household level surveys with two communities in Oklahoma to examine the relationship between (a) an individual's belief that state and local government is knowledgeable about the new earthquake hazard; (b) individual perception that state and local government is responsible for protecting them from the earthquake hazard; and (c) their level of trust in state and local government's ability and willingness to mitigate the hazard. We find that individuals who perceive state and local government as more knowledge about the hazard, or more responsible for protecting them from the hazard, have a higher level of trust in government's ability and willingness to mitigate the earthquake hazard.