Washington DC – The House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to improve earthquake preparedness in Oregon and nationwide.
El Ley de Reautorización del Programa Nacional de Reducción de Riesgos de Terremotos modernizes earthquake-safety programs that help states prepare for and respond to earthquakes.
“Being as prepared as we can be for natural disasters is the name of the game. When the West Coast is struck by a large earthquake it is absolutely crucial that communities be prepared,” dijo Wyden. “This legislation will help make sure communities in Oregon have the resources to be ready to protect families, businesses and infrastructure for when the big one hits.”
“Oregonians, especially people living on the coast, know that it’s just a question of time before a big earthquake hits our state,” dijo Merkley. “We’ve been working to prepare for that day, and this bipartisan bill helps our state take important steps forward. We can’t stop an earthquake, but we have to make the smart investments now to make sure our communities get through it as safely as possible.”
First authorized in 1977, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) has led to significant improvements in earthquake early warning, monitoring and research. The most recent reauthorization expired in 2009.
El Ley de Reautorización del Programa Nacional de Reducción de Riesgos de Terremotos would reauthorize the program for five years, enabling earthquake-prone communities to better prepare and protect themselves by minimizing losses through infrastructure improvements and hazard and risk assessments.
The full text of the legislation can be viewed aquí.
In September, the Senate unanimously passed the bill introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). It was cosponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska).
El proyecto de ley cuenta con el apoyo del Instituto Americano de Arquitectos, la Sociedad Estadounidense de Ingenieros Civiles, la Asociación de Geólogos Estatales Estadounidenses, el Instituto de Investigación de Ingeniería Sísmica, la Sociedad Geológica de América, el Consejo Nacional de Asociaciones de Ingenieros Estructurales y la Asociación Nacional para el Manejo de Emergencias. y la Sociedad Sismológica de América.
Una versión web de este comunicado está disponible aquí.
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