For a yearlong investigation for ProPublica and The Frontier, Nick Bowlin found that regulatory agency bosses routinely over-rule staff recommendations and allow oil companies to contaminate drinking water, farmland and people’s homes without consequences. With support from the Fund, Bowlin dug into years of records from the state oversight agency and found that fewer than one-third of enforcement cases filed by the state since 2023 have resulted in punishment. He identified one company, Citation Oil and Gas, that is named in 1,000 reports, including some of the state’s worst pollution cases – and has never been fined or otherwise punished.
Grantee uncovers lax oversight of oil companies in Oklahoma – including one company with 1,000 reports that’s never been fined
