Posted on July 13th by Will Reynolds
ILLINOIS—A new scientific study confirms that pumping fracking fluids into the ground increases seismic activity. It’s grim news as Illinois begins a fracking rush in major seismic zones.
The scientists looked at three big quakes: the Tohuku-oki earthquake in Japan in 2011 (magnitude 9), the Maule in Chile in 2010 (an 8.8 magnitude), and the Sumatra in Indonesia in 2012 (an 8.6). They found that, as much as 20 months later, those major quakes triggered smaller ones in places in the Midwestern US where fluids have been pumped underground for energy extraction.
The state budget was the biggest concern during the last session of the legislature as Governor Quinn struggles to find money to pay for the state’s pension obligation. There was frequent talk among legislators of how much state revenue would be generated by fracking. Illinois is attempting to partially solve its budget problem at the expense of the water supply, public safety, and natural environment of a politically weak portion of the state.