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Autumn

2019

Resistance in the Midst of the Anthropocene: The Rise and Fall of Artificial Earthquakes at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, 1962–1966

Published
2019-10-04

Abstract

Between 1962 and 1967, the Denver Metropolitan Area (DMA) experienced over 1,500 earthquakes. While the area had previously witnessed seismic events, this was extremely uncharacteristic. Investigating geologists soon discovered the source: a 12,045-foot injection disposal well at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA). The U.S. federal government ceased pumping chemical byproducts into the lithosphere due to protests of concerned residents. This story not only highlights the way a small group of human beings acted as a geological force, it speaks to the significance of local resistance in the age of the Anthropocene.