Opponents to the controversial process of gas fracking were given a timely reminder of the potential for environmental catastrophe as a magnitude 4 earthquake struck the USA on the last day of 2011.

Alarmingly it is now suspected that last Saturday's earthquake activity in northeast Ohio is related to the injection of wastewater into the ground near a fault line, creating enough pressure to cause seismic activity.

 The earthquake in McDonald, outside of Youngstown, was the latest in a series of minor earthquakes in the area, many of which have struck near the Youngstown injection well.

Thousands of gallons of brine were injected into the well daily until its owner, Northstar Disposal Services LLC, who agreed to stop injecting brine into the earth as a precaution while authorities assess any potential links to the quakes.

A spokesman for the Ohio Seismic Network said that more quakes are possible, most likely small ones, until the pressure at the fault line has been completely relieved.

The Saturday quake to be stronger than others, which generally had a magnitude of 2.7 or lower. Some residents reported feeling trembling farther south into Columbiana County and east into western Pennsylvania.

Area residents said a loud boom accompanied the shaking. It sent some shocked residents running for cover as bookshelves shook and pictures and lamps fell from tables.

A few miles from the epicenter, Charles Kihm said he was preparing food in his kitchen when he heard a noise and thought a vehicle had hit his Austintown home.

"It really shook, and it rumbled, like there was a sound," said Kihm, 82. "It was loud. It didn't last long. But it really scared me."

Mr Griffin has consistently warned of the dangers of gas fracking and has opposed exploratory drilling in his constituency near Blackpool where fracking-related quakes shook the area last year.