600% Increase In Earthquakes Tied To Fracking

A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey finds that a 600% increase in small earthquakes may be connected to fracking, drilling for natural gas and other materials in rock formations.

The study found that earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 in the nation’s midsection rose from 21 quakes a year between 1970 and 2000 to 29 quakes a year between 2001 and 2008. Even more earthquakes occurred in 2009, 2010 and 2011 – 50, 87 and 134 respectively.

The USGS report found the quake increase was “almost certainly man-made.”