The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977
Posted in Earthquake Regulations and Laws last updated on January 30, 2021The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act is the current US Federal policy that deals with lowering the risk of earthquake damage and preventing loss of life in the United States. As administered it is often called the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. The act was signed into law in October of 1977. It was created by Congress and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
It established the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, or NEHRP for short. FEMA defines or explains NEHRP “as a collaborative effort among the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the NEHRP lead agency; the National Science Foundation (NSF); and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). These agencies work in close coordination to improve the understanding of earthquake hazards and risk, and to reduce the Nation’s vulnerability to earthquakes.” Think of a NEHRP has a multiagency task force that works with various groups within the country.
The NEHRP essentially put the federal government into the business of assisting consumers and businesses in finding “affordable earthquake insurance” and creating “model…planning codes” among other things.
This is Public Law 95-124
and has been amended several times.
You will see legislation and its administration written as the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act, the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act, the National Earthquake Hazard Reductions Program, and even the Earthquake Hazard Reductions plan.
The Basics of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act:
“An Act to reduce the hazards of earthquakes, and for other purposes. “The Congress and hence the US government “finds and declares” the following 13 items:
1. All 50 States, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, are vulnerable to the hazards of earthquakes…” and “39 of them are subject to major or moderate seismic risk, including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Carolina Tennessee, Utah, and Washington.” This means that a “large portion of the population of the United States lives in areas vulnerable to earthquake hazards.”
2. Earthquake can and will cause: “enormous loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption.” It goes on to list four methods to reduce “loss, destruction, and disruption” including: “design and construction methods…use controls and redevelopment…early-warning systems..” and “coordinated emergency preparedness plans…”
3. That a n”expertly staffed and adequately financed earthquake hazards reduction program...would reduce the risk of such loss, destruction, and, disruption.”
4. “A well-funded seismological research program could provide the scientific understanding needed to fully implement an effective earthquake early warning system.”
5. The “study of active faults and features” can determine “how much risk they pose.”
6. That “through proper earthquake resistant design and construction…vulnerability of buildings, lifeline infrastructure…” can be reduced.
7. “Federally owned, operated, and influenced structures and lifeline infrastructure should serve as models for how to reduce and minimize hazards to the community.”
8. “As an added benefit” they can “reduce the risk” from other types of natural disasters if we implement “earthquake hazards reduction measures.”
9. “Improved mechanisms are needed to translate existing information
and research findings into reasonable and usable specifications…”
10. “International cooperation is desirable for mutual learning…”
11. A program “will require input from and review by persons…” outside the various government agencies.
12.”When earthquakes occur, the built environment is generally designed to prevent severe injuries or loss of human life and is not expected to remain operational or able to recover under any specified schedule.”
13. A “study and an accompanying report called for work in 18 tasks focused on research, preparedness, and mitigation and annual funding of approximately $300,000,000 per year for 20 years.”
US Government Agencies involved with the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act:
According to Wikipedia, the following Government Agencies are involved with the implementation of this program: Department of Defense, Department of Housing, Energy Research, National Bureau of Statistics, National Bureau of Standards, National Fire Prevention, NOAA, National Science Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the US Geological Society. This of course does not include various state and local government departments.
The actual act itself though notes four “program agencies.” Those program agencies are:
1. FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency]
2. United States Geological Survey.
3. National Science Foundation.
4. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
However any honest appraisal of the situation would reveal that to some extent literally hundreds of government agencies, both Federal and State are involved with the ongoing administration, use, appraisal, implementation, and considerations of NEHP and the EHRA of 1977. This foundational act has had a profound effect on the federal government’s role in the prevention of seismic damage to the nation and its’ infrastructure.
The Seven Purposes of NEHRA-1977:
This large and complex US government law is obtuse from numerous angles, but it can help to look at the ultimate goals to get an idea of what its creation is/ was attempting to accomplish. Regardless the seven main objectives of the government action are:
1. “the education of the public…”
2. “development of [technological]…design and construction methods…”
3. “a system…for identifying, evaluating, and accurately characterizing seismic hazards”
4. “model building and planning codes…”
5. “methods of mitigating the risks from earthquakes, planning to prevent such risks…”
6. “increase the use of existing scientific and engineering knowledge…”
7. “assure the availability of affordable earthquake insurance.”
Of particular interest to this website is the all important seventh point here: “available” and “affordable” EQ insurance. [Read what is the definition of Earthquake Insurance.] This act, in essence puts the United States Federal government into the business of helping to make affordable earthquake insurance in the United States a reality.
Amendments to the Original Act:
The act has been amended or changed approximately 11 times. The last time was in 2004. The latest, the Reauthorization Act [PL 108-360] says “Congress recognized that the slow implementation of new mitigation technologies, combined with continued widespread development in areas of high seismic risk, has resulted in rapid, steady increases in societal vulnerabilities to major earthquakes.” Source.
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act Today:
To this day the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program remains the bedrock of government involvement in earthquake prevention and safeguard of property and loss of life through the various government agencies including NEHRP.
With its somewhat recent reauthorization in 2004, the Act and Program look set to stay as American Policy for decades to come.