Earthquakes do occasionally occur in NY:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/new_york/histo...
Even if there's only one earthquake in NY every 50 years, you want to make sure that when one happens, skyscrapers don't collapse and the Indian Point nuclear plant doesn't dump radioactive waste into the Hudson.
Earthquakes do occasionally occur in NY:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/new_york/histo...
Even if there's only one earthquake in NY every 50 years, you want to make sure that when one happens, skyscrapers don't collapse and the Indian Point nuclear plant doesn't dump radioactive waste into the Hudson.