Earthquake Resilience Act
The Earthquake Resilience Act is a bill that would require the United States to complete a comprehensive national risk assessment of earthquake resilience within two years of enactment. This assessment would evaluate how far communities have progressed in strengthening resilience and identify remaining gaps. In addition, the bill would amend the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to expand and strengthen how the federal program addresses post-earthquake recovery, lifeline infrastructure, and data collection. Specifically, it would add recovery-focused performance objectives, develop standards for recovering critical services after earthquakes, and require the inclusion of real-time GNSS (satellite-based positioning) data and geodetic data to support seismic risk management. The overall aim is to improve preparedness, response, and long-term recovery from earthquakes.
Key Points
- 1Requires a national earthquake resilience risk assessment to be completed within two years of enactment, led by NIST and involving FEMA, NSF, USGS, and state/local/tribal partners.
- 2The assessment will identify progress in strengthening resilience and gaps that remain as of the assessment date.
- 3Amends the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to add post-earthquake recovery-based performance objectives focused on functional recovery and reoccupancy.
- 4Adds development of standards, guidelines, and consensus codes for improved post-earthquake recovery of lifeline infrastructure (e.g., power, water, transportation, communications) coordinated by a national lifeline infrastructure organization.
- 5Expands data and monitoring provisions by requiring inclusion of real-time GNSS network data streams and geodetic network data in regional seismic networks, and adjusts program outputs accordingly.