A program to study the recent increase in earthquakes in Texas is getting underway with management hirings and deployment of new seismographic equipment.
The TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program is being overseen by the University of Texas and bankrolled with $4.5 million approved last year by the Texas Legislature.
The Austin American-Statesman (http://atxne.ws/1Qo8nil ) reports its review of U.S. Geological Survey records shows about two dozen quakes in Texas since 2011 reached at least 3.5 magnitude. In the previous five years — before the fracking boom — there were only five.
Texas lawmakers influenced by the state's oil and gas industry have been skeptical of blaming fracking for the increase but provided the money to obtain more information on geology and fault lines in the state.
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Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com
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