Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Scientists have accumulated evidence that gas and oil drilling have caused numerous earthquakes in the U.S. Although most of these man-made quakes have been relatively small, seismologists say the shaking dramatically increases the potential of larger, dangerous quakes. Jason Bordoff, founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Colombia University, says the link between drilling and man-made earthquakes must be taken seriously by regulators and the industry. While the U.S. Drilling boom has created jobs and tax revenue, scientists say injecting waste water deep underground can activate dormant faults, as well as contaminating groundwater, which is another huge problem on the horizon. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maps indicate a dozen areas in the central and eastern U.S. where earthquakes have been triggered by drilling, and these have increased over the years. The American Petroleum Institute claims the industry is working with scientists and regulators to “better understand the issue,” and the Environmental Protection Agency said they have no plans for new regulations as a result of the USGS study. By the way, have you noticed if you draw an S on top of a U, it looks quite a bit like a dollar sign?