More evidence rumbled in over the holiday weekend tying fracking operations to earthquakes. The most recent and largest tremor – in a "suspicious" string of 11 – to hit the Youngstown area since last March measured 4.0 on the Richter scale. The epicenter, according to a Jan. 1 New York Times report, is "a well that has been used for the disposal of millions of gallons of brine and other waste liquids produced at natural-gas wells..." Nothing like ringing in the new year with a bang. The "collateral damage" tied to the controversial extraction process known as fracking includes contaminated groundwater, air pollution, exploding wells and flammable tap water – but all that (as troubling as it is) seems to pale a bit in comparison to earthquakes. Although up to this point the tremors in Ohio have caused little in the way of property damage or injuries to residents, earthquakes are an unpredictable phenomenon. You really never know when "the big one" will hit. Having said that, I'm happy to report that Ohio officials have taken the prudent step of halting operations in Youngstown until scientists are able to determine the definitive cause of the tremors. Smart move. Other fracking localities – where ...
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