A Texas agency is hiring a seismologist as part of an effort to tackle a sudden increase in earthquakes in areas with significant oil and gas drilling activities.
The Railroad Commission, the agency that regulates drilling in the Lone Star State, says Tuesday it is hiring a seismologist after holding a meeting with residents in Azle.
Azle is a town about 50 miles northwest of Dallas. The area has seen an increase in drilling activity in recent years, and is also in an area that has experienced earthquakes.
Railroad Commissioner David Porter says in a statement he decided a seismologist needed to be added to the staff to help the agency gather evidence to learn whether there is "any possible causation between oil and gas activities and seismic events."
