Oklahoma To Invest A Whole Million $ To Find Ways To Reduce Earthquakes . . .

[hatrack]

You know, I'd be willing to bet that they could drastically cut the number of earthquakes in their state using this one weird trick . . .

OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Mary Fallin, governor of emerging shale state Oklahoma, said she set aside more than $1 million in emergency funds to support earthquake research. Fallin approved $1.38 million in one-time costs to support earthquake research to be directed by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the Oklahoma Geological Survey.

"I'm committed to funding seismic research, bringing on line advanced technology and more staff to fully support our regulators at they take meaningful action on earthquakes," she said in a statement.

Fallin expressed concern last year about the increase in the number of earthquakes tied loosely to the oil and gas industry in her state. A study from the U.S. Geological Survey found the rate of seismic activity in Oklahoma has increased since 2009 at a faster rate than any other time during the 20th century.

USGS research found "several lines of evidence" to suggest the increase was tied to oil production activities. A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was recorded on New Year's Day in Edmond, just north of the state capital.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Well, they could give me that million, and I'd tell them it's simply

a giant underground lizard moving about, if they want to pretend it's not caused by injection wells and fracking.

[rpannier]

2. Tell them

you are working on an underground boring machine that will take you below the Earth's surface and you will find and hunt down that lizard
They may give you 2-5 million

[Turbineguy]

3. It's a tricky situation.

You have to be seen to be doing something, but you must make certain that the actual cause is not found. Unless of course it turns out to be poor people who get food stamps.