Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 9, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) develop a plan for the purchase and installation of an earthquake early warning system for the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and (2) identify the funds necessary for its implementation. Such zone is the landward-dipping fault that is approximately 684 miles long, separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates, and stretches along the western coast of the United States from Cape Mendocino, California, to Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

(Sec. 3) The President shall establish an Earthquake and Tsunami Task Force for the purpose of developing a comprehensive strategy and recommendations on how the nation should prepare and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, recover from, and more successfully adapt to an earthquake, tsunami, or combined earthquake and tsunami event in such zone. Such recommendations shall include recommendations on: (1) administrative or legislative changes and funding required to implement the strategy, and (2) the order of priority for implementation of the strategy.

The Task Force shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies for developing recommendations for a federal research strategy to advance scientific understanding of a zone earthquake and resulting tsunami preparedness.

(Sec. 4) FEMA shall be responsible for the nation's efforts to reduce the loss of life and property, and to protect the nation, from an earthquake, tsunami, or combined earthquake and tsunami event by developing the ability to prepare and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, recover from, and more successfully adapt to such an event.

(Sec. 5) The bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize recipients to use hazard mitigation assistance to conduct activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by earthquake hazards, including making improvements to:

• regional seismic networks in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning;
• geodetic networks in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning; and
• seismometers, Global Positioning System receivers, and associated infrastructure in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov