Earthquakes trigger probe

Tulsa (Okla.) World: Gov. Mary Fallin has created a panel to coordinate an investigation into the state’s rash of earthquakes.

It’s a smart move, although we wish the state were even more aggressive on this issue.

For months, state residents have been shaken by nearly daily earthquakes. In an area that has been seismically quiet historically, it has been unsettling to say the least.

There is little doubt that the earthquakes are man-made, with a lot of suspicion falling on injection disposal wells.

The governor’s Coordinating Council on Seismic Activity will bring together researchers with policymakers and energy industry experts. Energy Secretary Michael Teague will lead the panel, which will draw on expertise from the Oklahoma Geological Survey, the Corporation Commission, the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association and the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association.

So far, the earthquakes have all been relatively small, and they have caused relatively modest damage. Thank goodness. That doesn’t make the situation any less important or urgent. Oklahoma politicians are playing with fire if they drag their feet on this issue.

If the earthquakes are induced by human activity, it seems logical to conclude that we can figure out exactly what human activity under what circumstances is the cause, and then stop doing it.