Anna Kuchment’s March 2016 article in Scientific American, “Drilling for Earthquakes”* analyzes the geophysical background connecting injection wells and seismic activity.  She follows by critiquing the regulatory response.  Ms Kuchment is a science writer for the Dallas Morning News. Her interest in the subject springs from her current writing.  She connects the history of seismicity and deep injection wells with the current debate, adding detail not commonly considered.  For that reason alone her article is worth reading.  Charts, graphics and photos punctuate her discussion and accentuate the human and practical elements that her reporter’s eye finds.  She is more interested in the regulatory response than in the issues of legal liability for earthquakes allegedly caused by injection wells, but private liability is never far from this discussion.

*The article is available on the Scientific American website, http://www.scientificamerican.com   Various other bloggers have commented, see engineeringethicsblog.blogspot.com  post of Monday, June 20, 2016.