Oklahoma earthquakes increase, raise concerns

Austin Holland, Oklahoma's seismology chief, is determined to find the cause of an unprecedented earthquake epidemic in the state.

Holland suspects pumping wastewater from oil and gas drilling back into the Earth has a lot to do with it.

So far this year, Oklahoma has had more than twice the number of earthquakes as California, making the state the most seismically active state in the continental U.S. 

As recently as 2003, Oklahoma was ranked 17th for earthquakes.

The rise in quakes isn't just happening in Oklahoma. Other states practicing fracking, such as Colorado and Ohio, have also seen earthquake activity on the rise. 

Some seismologists are convinced that wastewater injected back into the ground is jolting fault lines and triggering earthquakes.

But some oil companies say more research is needed to be conclusive as to the spike in quake activity.

You can read the entire article published by Bloomberg News and shared by the National Weather Association here.  KGW