The fracking industry has given the state of Oklahoma a new claim to fame that no one in Oklahoma wanted. In 2015, Oklahoma had more earthquakes than the entire continental United States combined. There were 857 earthquakes in Oklahoma with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. The total number of earthquakes for the continental United States with a 3.0 magnitude or higher was 1,556.Nearly two dozen peer reviewed, scientific papers have been published that show that there is a likely link between waste water injection wells used by the fracking industry and the increased number of quakes that have rocked the state.Oklahoma has seen a dramatic increase in the number of earthquakes over the past few years, that coincide with the state s fracking boom. In 2014, there were 585 quakes, a record for the state. In 2013, there were a comparatively stable 106.Here is a chart that shows the rising number of earthquakes. It is important to note that there were 84 less quakes in 2015 than was projected. As devastating as the quakes can be for the local population, they are also a matter of national security.  The small town of Cushing, Oklahoma is considered a top target for terrorist attacks. That s because Cushing is the largest oil hub in North America. Cushing holds a considerable amount of crude oil. Bloomberg reports that some of the tanks can fit a Boeing 747 jet inside of them. Though they are generally used to store around 10 million barrels of crude oil. On Oct. 10, 2015 a 4.5 earthquake occurred just three mules from Cushing.The irony that a process used to extract oil is putting the United States  largest oil hub in grave danger, should not be lost on anyone.In 2015, the ban on oil exports was lifted, setting the stage for increased use of fracking in the United States, far more so than what was already expected to occur.Featured Image Credit: Oklahoma Office Of The Secretary Of Energy & Environment via Ecowatch