Fracking Increases Quakes in 8 States

Man-made activities like fracking have triggered a sharp increase in earthquakes since 2009 in the central and eastern U.S., according to a new report from the United States Geological Survey. "The increase has been linked to industrial operations that dispose of wastewater by injecting it into deep wells," the USGS said. Scientists have identified 17 areas within eight states—Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas—with increased levels of man-induced seismicity. “These earthquakes are occurring at a higher rate than ever before and pose a much greater risk to people living nearby,” Mark Petersen of the USGS said.