Fracking blamed for spike in earthquakes

Pro-business pundits ridicule studies, yet officials in the state of Oklahoma acknowledge link.

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[NOTE: Originally posted May 17, 2015 on the now-defunct stonebryson.net]

Authority in Oklahoma recently acknowledged that the practice of 'fracking' (a slang term for "hydraulic fracturing") is at the root of rising earthquake activity in the south-central state. According to the official website, they are researching the methods used for wastewater disposal, generally considered to be the process triggering the events.

In 2014 alone the Sooner State had 584 quakes at or above 3.0 on the Richter Scale, nearly twice as many than were recorded the previous 35 years combined. Furthermore, from 1979 to 2008 only 36 met or exceeded that same threshold, with large-scale fracking concerns having begun there in 2008.

"While we understand that Oklahoma has historically experienced some level of seismicity, we know that the recent rise in earthquakes cannot be entirely attributed to natural causes.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey has determined that the majority of recent earthquakes... are very likely triggered by the injection of produced water in disposal wells."

Keep in mind that Oklahoma is not exactly run by a group of leftist eco-warriors at this moment. Mary Fallin, governor of the 46th state, is a noted pro-business conservative, so for her office to recognize the link is fairly significant.

All of this said, there are still many supporters of the practice, most of whom citing those with scientific credentials on par with their anti-fracking counterparts. The fact those dissenters have oft been agenda-driven, progressive ideologues has not helped solidify their arguments with the general public.

Leading Anti #Fracking Prof: Our Studies are ‘A Form of Advocacy.’ Admits to bias research. #copolitics #coleg http://t.co/2hvCT0qR7P

— Amy Oliver Cooke (@AmyOliverShow) April 14, 2015

I normally bristle at the notion of agreeing with progressives, be they on the left or the right; it's a night-watchman thing. Even now, despite the growing evidence, I am still having difficulty in so doing, largely because they have been so categorically wrong (or so blatantly manipulative) so many times in the past.

Still, I have to be honest. I kind of hope it IS caused by fracking, for if it is we have a modicum of control. If it not due to our activity however, and the ground-shakers are only naturally-occurring, and they keep growing in scale and frequency?

Combine this with the escalation of 3.0+ quakes recorded around the globe the last few years, and we have a much bigger issue on our hands. An 'apocalyptic' issue.... one utterly out of our control.

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