To say that fracking has had unintended consequences would be a misnomer. There have been warnings from the outset of the scramble to extract natural gas from shale formations using environmentally unsafe methods, but the case of Youngstown, Ohio is special.
On New Years Eve, the central Ohio city had its 11th earthquake since St. Patrick’s Day — a magnitude 4.0 on the Richter Scale, the highest to date. That would not be unusual except that Youngstown has never had an earthquake in its recorded history.
The quakes, which have shaken buildings but not caused any perceptible damage, are being attributed to fracking operations in the downtown area.
While fracking offers a lucrative way for governors and mayors to raise money, it has come under increasing scrutiny because of environmental and health concerns despite repeated assurances from petroleum companies that it is safe.
Fracking has been a financial boost for the Allegheny region. The Marcellus Shale formation, which stretches from western New York state through Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, has set off a regional jobs bonanza.
The Youngstown fracking operations have been suspended while the source of the quakes is investigated. And the city presumably mulls whether repeated earthquakes are a way to attract new businesses.