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SUEOGROCKI—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Chad Devereaux examines bricks that fell from three sides of his in-laws home in Sparks, Okla., in 2011, following two earthquakes that hit the area in less than 24hours. BySethBorenstein The Associated Press WASHINGTON Anewstudy explains how just four wells forcing massive amounts of drilling wastewater into the ground are probably shak- ing up Oklahoma. Those wells seem to have triggered more than 100 small-to-medium earth- quakes in the past five years, according to a study published Thursday by the journal Science. Many of the quakes were much far- ther away from the wells than expected. Combined, those wells daily pour more than 5 million gallons of water a mile or two underground into rock formations, the study found. That buildup of fluid creates more pres- sure that "has to go some- where," said study lead au- thor Cornell University seis- mologist Katie Keranen. Researchers originally figured the water diffused through underground rocks slowly. But instead, it is mov- ing faster and farther and triggers quake fault lines that already were likely ready to move, she said. "You really don't need to raise the pressure a great deal," she added. The study shows the likely way in which the pressure can trigger fault lines — which already ex- isted yet were not too ac- tive— but researchers need more detail on the liquid in- jections themselves to abso- lutely prove the case, Ker- anen said. The wastewater is left- over from unconventional wells that drill for oil and gas with help of high pres- sure liquids — nicknamed fracking — and from the re- moval of water from diluted oil. These new methods mean much more waste- water has to be discarded. While there are about 8,000 deep injection wells in the region, the amount of wa- ter injected at the four wells — named Chambers, Deep Throat, Flower Power and Sweetheart — has more than doubled since the drilling boom started about a decade ago. From 1976 to 2007, Okla- homa each year averaged about one quake of mag- nitude 3 or more — strong enough to feel locally but too weak to cause damage. But from 2008 to 2013, the state averaged 44 earth- quakes of that size every year. So far this year there have been another 233, Keranen said, getting her earthquake figures from the U.S. Geological Survey database. Studyshowshow drilling wastewater causes earthquakes SCIENCE By Susan Montoya Bryan The Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Ar- izona's largest city has gone four months without any measurable rain, and neighboring New Mexico is in the midst of four years of severe drought. But you'll still see and hear fireworks sparkle and pop during the days around July 4, despite the dangerously high threat of wildfires. While some places in the West ban fireworks al- together, or greatly limit what you can light off when conditions are ripe for fire, other states are going in the opposite direction. Arizona actually loos- ened its restrictions this year and is now allowing residents of the two most populated cities to set off fireworks in the days around Independence Day, and an effort by the New Mexico governor to im- pose tougher rules during dry times has repeatedly fallen on deaf ears in the Legislature. Some lawmakers chalk it up to statehouse politics, while others say it's politi- cians' reluctance to impose more regulations and take away the cherished tradi- tion of setting off fireworks, even in severe droughts. Phil Griego, a northern New Mexico rancher and a Democratic state senator, said the pastures around his village are so dry that the grass crunches under the hooves of horses and cattle when ranchers move the animals from one field to the next. Griego tried during this year's legislative session to pass a measure that would have updated New Mexico's fireworks laws to give cities and counties more author- ity to ban fireworks when fire danger is high. Political wrangling stalled the mea- sure in the Democrat-con- trolled Senate despite bi- partisan support from law- makers, fire chiefs around the state and Republican Gov. Susan Martinez, who has been pushing since 2011 for changes to the law. "This is critical because I don't think this drought and this situation we're in right now is going to pass any time soon," Griego said. "For this year, it's done and over, but we've got to start working on next year. We've got to have protec- tions. Look at the fires that are taking place now with just lightning strikes." Arizona began allowing the sale and use of certain fireworks in 2010. This year, the state updated its laws to prohibit cities in Mari- copa and Pima counties — which include Phoenix and Tucson — from banning the use of fireworks around the July 4 holiday. Previously, some cities in the area had banned fireworks, while others didn't, resulting in much confusion. The Phoenix Fire De- partment is placing trucks in strategic places around town so crews can respond to brush fires within min- utes. City employees will also be monitoring popu- lar hiking trails, looking for anyone trying to set off illegal fireworks. "We're trying to keep control on it," said Glenn D'Auria, president of the Ar- izonaFireMarshalsAssocia- tionandaTucsonfireinspec- tor. "It's new for us. It's not like back East where people grewupwithit.It'sanewtoy to play with out here." In Texas, legislation to give the state fire mar- shal the power to enforce stricter rules didn't get far during the last session partly due to the lack of appetite among some law- makers for imposing more regulations on small busi- nesses. Some places in the West do restrict fireworks heav- ily. In Utah, more than 50 cities and towns have im- posed additional restric- tions this year due to the fire danger. Some munic- ipalities have banned all fireworks in city limits, while several have desig- nated safe areas near fire departments or parking lots from which to light fireworks. Utah lawmakers this year passed a measure giv- ing counties the authority to restrict fireworks in un- incorporated areas. In California, not many cities allow for the sale and use of legal fireworks. An open burn ban began this week for millions of acres managed by California's state forestry division. The agency said it has zero tol- erance for illegal fireworks and will be patrolling over the holiday weekend given the drought emergency. The same goes for Wash- ington, where fireworks are banned in all of the biggest cities and in many other places. People in Seattle are prohibited from setting off fireworks within city limit on the Fourth of July or any other time. FOURTH OF JULY Drought won't stop fireworks in dry West ODESSA AMERICAN, EDYTA BLASZCZYK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Lisa Lara picks out fireworks to add to her purchase on Tuesday at Truckload Fireworks in Odessa, Texas. By Pete Yost The Associated Press WASHINGTON Former Blackwater security guard Matthew Murphy and now- indicted ex-colleague Paul Slough were friends, having survived the war in Iraq to- gether, creating a bond that underdifferentcircumstances might have lasted a lifetime. But from the witness stand in the Blackwater criminal trial this week, Murphy testified that he saw Slough fire at least two grenades into a car where a woman and her son died, two of 14 Iraqis killed on Sept. 16, 2007, in a down- town Baghdad square. In three days of testi- mony, Murphy became the first Blackwater security guard to testify against his former associates in a trial expected to take months. Slough is charged with manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and violating gun laws, as are two other defendants, Dustin Heard and Evan Liberty. A fourth defendant, Nicholas Slat- ten, is charged with first-de- gree murder in the death of the driver of the car. All four have pleaded not guilty. The plan that day nearly seven years ago was that the Blackwater convoy of four heavily armed vehicles including Murphy, Slough and 17 other guards would come to the aid of a sepa- rate Blackwater convoy, and that both would return to the safety of the Green Zone. The plan fell apart in the Nisoor Square traffic circle. Witnesses have described violence that began around the time a white Kia driven by the woman's son rolled close to the convoy in which turret gunners Murphy and Slough were riding. The Blackwater team had brought traffic to a halt, but theKiamovedforwardeverso slightly toward the armored vehicles. Car bombs were a staple of insurgent attacks in Iraq in 2007 and especially in that nation's largest city. BLACKWATER TRIAL Former guard testifies against friends Please help sponsor a classroom subscription Call Kathy at (530) 527-2151 to find out how. Through the Newspapers in Education program, area classrooms receive the Red Bluff Daily News every day thanks to the generosity of these local businesses & individuals. • DOLLING INSURANCE • GUMM'S OPTICAL SHOPPE • HOOKER CREEK INC. • CALIFORNIA WALNUT COMPANY • LEPAGE COMPANY INC. • MODERN CLEANERS • OLIVE CITY QUICK LUBE • WALMART • TEHAMA CO. DEPT. 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