Many Man-Made Earthquakes in Western Canada Now Linked to Fracking

"New study says at least 39 fracked wells in Alberta and British Columbia likely triggered earthquakes in recent years."

"Some fracking operations in western Canada are producing a surprising—and for many Canadians, troubling—side effect: earthquakes.

How widespread is the problem? According to a new study published Tuesday, at least 39 fracked wells in Alberta and British Columbia are suspected of triggering about 65 earthquakes between 2010 and 2015.

"We now confirm that many induced earthquakes in Western Canada can be linked to hydraulic fracturing operations," study author Honn Kao wrote in an email to InsideClimate News. Kao is a scientist at Natural Resources Canada, the country's main environmental regulatory agency."

Zahra Hirji reports for InsideClimate News March 30, 2016.