Collapse to view only § 7701. Congressional findings
- § 7701. Congressional findings
- § 7702. Congressional statement of purpose
- § 7703. Definitions
- § 7704. National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
- § 7704a. Report on seismic safety property standards
- §§ 7705, 7705a. Repealed.
- § 7705b. Seismic standards
- § 7705c. Acceptance of gifts
- § 7705d. Repealed.
- § 7705e. Post-earthquake investigations program
- § 7706. Authorization of appropriations
- § 7707. Advanced National Seismic System
- § 7708. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation
- § 7709. Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee
There is established the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
There is established an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction chaired by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (referred to in this subsection as the “Director”).
The Committee shall meet not less frequently than once each year at the call of the Director.
The Interagency Coordinating Committee shall oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the Program.
To the extent practicable, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall expedite any request for a permit to use public land under clause (ii)(VI).
Each head of a Program agency shall submit to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology such information as the Director may request for the preparation of a report under subparagraph (A) not later than 90 days after the date on which the Director requests such information.
The Director shall establish an Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction of at least 11 members, none of whom may be an employee (as defined in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of section 7342(a)(1) of title 5 3
Not later than 1 year after October 25, 2004, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Advisory Committee shall report to the Director on its findings of the assessment carried out under subparagraph (B) and its recommendations for ways to improve the Program. In developing recommendations, the Committee shall consider the recommendations of the United States Geological Survey Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee.
Section 1013 of title 5 shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.
The Interagency Coordinating Committee shall each year provide guidance to the other Program agencies concerning the preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to the Program, and shall prepare, in conjunction with the other Program agencies, an annual Program budget to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall assess the risk of earthquake-related damage to properties assisted under programs administered by the Secretary and shall develop seismic safety standards for such properties. This section may not be construed to prohibit the Secretary from deferring to local building codes that meet the requirements of the seismic safety standards developed under this section.
The standards shall be designed to reduce the risk of loss of life to building occupants to the maximum extent feasible and to reduce the risk of shake-related property damage to the maximum extent practicable.
In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and may utilize the resources under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (established under the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 [42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.]) and any other resources as may be required to carry out the activities under this section.
Not later than December 1, 2019, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall jointly convene a committee of experts from Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private sector entities, disaster management professional associations, engineering professional associations, and professional construction and homebuilding industry associations, to assess and recommend options for improving the built environment and critical infrastructure to reflect performance goals stated in terms of post-earthquake reoccupancy and functional recovery time.
Not later than June 30, 2020, the committee convened under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a report on recommended options for improving the built environment and critical infrastructure to reflect performance goals stated in terms of post-earthquake reoccupancy and functional recovery time.
In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency may accept and use bequests, gifts, or donations of services, money, or property, notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31.
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish by regulation criteria for determining whether to accept bequests, gifts, or donations of services, money, or property. Such criteria shall take into consideration whether the acceptance of the bequest, gift, or donation would reflect unfavorably on the Director’s 1
The Director of the United States Geological Survey shall establish and operate an Advanced National Seismic System. The purpose of such system shall be to organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize the national, regional, and urban seismic monitoring systems in the United States, including sensors, recorders, and data analysis centers, into a coordinated system that will measure and record the full range of frequencies and amplitudes exhibited by seismic waves, in order to enhance earthquake research and warning capabilities.
Not later than 90 days after November 13, 2000, the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall transmit to the Congress a 5-year management plan for establishing and operating the Advanced National Seismic System. The plan shall include annual cost estimates for both modernization and operation, milestones, standards, and performance goals, as well as plans for securing the participation of all existing networks in the Advanced National Seismic System and for establishing new, or enhancing existing, partnerships to leverage resources.
The Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation that will upgrade, link, and integrate a system of geographically distributed experimental facilities for earthquake engineering testing of full-sized structures and their components and partial-scale physical models. The system shall be integrated through networking software so that integrated models and databases can be used to create model-based simulation, and the components of the system shall be interconnected with a computer network and allow for remote access, information sharing, and collaborative research.
The Director of the United States Geological Survey shall establish a Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee.
The Director shall establish procedures for selection of individuals not employed by the Federal Government who are qualified in the seismic sciences and other appropriate fields and may, pursuant to such procedures, select up to 10 individuals, one of whom shall be designated Chairman, to serve on the Advisory Committee. Selection of individuals for the Advisory Committee shall be based solely on established records of distinguished service, and the Director shall ensure that a reasonable cross-section of views and expertise is represented. In selecting individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee, the Director shall seek and give due consideration to recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, professional societies, and other appropriate organizations.
The Advisory Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be designated by the Chairman in consultation with the Director.
The Advisory Committee shall advise the Director on matters relating to the United States Geological Survey’s participation in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, including the United States Geological Survey’s roles, goals, and objectives within that Program, its capabilities and research needs, guidance on achieving major objectives, and establishing and measuring performance goals. The Advisory Committee shall issue an annual report to the Director for submission to Congress on or before September 30 of each year. The report shall describe the Advisory Committee’s activities and address policy issues or matters that affect the United States Geological Survey’s participation in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.