Abstract Earthquakes can be induced by reservoir impoundment, fluid injection, mining, or oil and gas extraction.
Induced quakes create a risk of personal injury or damage to property.
The quakes induced at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver in the 1960' s caused significant property damage. Currently, low level seismicity is being induced at several sites in Colorado, including the Rangely Oilfield, Paradox Valley, and Ridgway Reservoir areas. However, no Colorado statute specifically prohibits or regulates induced seismicity. If individuals are injured by seismicity induced in Colorado, they could claim compensation under trespass, negligence or nuisance theories of liability, but Colorado courts are unlikely to apply strict liability to the activities that can induce earthquakes. This research was partially funded by a grant from the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.