H.R. 2568: Earthquake Resilience Act

This bill, titled the Earthquake Resilience Act, aims to enhance the preparedness and recovery capabilities of communities in the event of earthquakes. The key points of the bill are as follows:

National Risk Assessment

The bill mandates that, within two years of its enactment, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), will conduct a national risk assessment. This assessment will:

• Evaluate the progress made by communities to improve their resilience against earthquakes.
• Identify any remaining gaps in resilience that need to be addressed.

Amendments to Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

The bill also proposes amendments to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program established by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977. The key changes include:

• Inclusion of post-earthquake recovery-focused performance objectives to improve functionality and reoccupancy of buildings after an earthquake.
• Development of standards and guidelines aimed at enhancing the recovery of essential services provided by infrastructure after an earthquake.
• Integrating new data sources such as real-time global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data streams and geodetic network data into the program to improve earthquake monitoring and response.

Overall, the Earthquake Resilience Act seeks to better prepare communities for earthquakes and enhance the recovery process following such events, focusing on both immediate needs and long-term resilience strategies.

Relevant Companies

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