[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 83 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5700-S5702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FRIST:
  S. 910. A bill to authorize appropriations for carrying out the 
Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act of 1977 for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.

[[Page S5701]]

 the 1998-99 reauthorization of the earthquake hazard reduction act of 
                                  1997

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today to offer the 1998-99 
Reauthorization of the Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act of 1977. This 
piece of legislation reauthorizes the agencies that are working to 
reduce earthquake hazards throughout the Nation. These four agencies: 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], which serves as the 
lead agency, the U.S. Geological Survey [USGS], National Science 
Foundation [NSF], and National Institute of Standards and Technology 
[NIST], each play a critical role in this important mission.
  This bill continues the funding for agency activities including 
research, hazard assessment, and public education, and moves these 
activities forward. It also builds upon the national seismic network, 
improving its capability, and forming the basis for a real-time seismic 
hazard warning system. A real-time warning system has the potential for 
saving lives by alerting people outside the immediate area of an 
impending seismic shock. Advance warning can be critical in preventing 
injury in many sectors of modern life, such as high-speed trail 
transportation.
  This reauthorization has an important provision which underscores our 
commitment to education. This bill would let NSF create and disseminate 
Earth science educational materials in a way that permits easy access 
by educators and the general public. Acknowledging that FEMA and NSF 
have both done an outstanding job in creating educational material, we 
are looking for continued cooperation of all the agencies, one of the 
hallmarks of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program [NEHRP].
  Mr. President, I believe that the passage of this legislation will 
continue of the good work that these four agencies have been 
undertaking--work that saves property, but most importantly, saves 
American lives.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of this legislation be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 910

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 12 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 
     (42 U.S.C. 7706) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(7)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' after ``1995,''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, $19,228,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1998, and $19,804,000 for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1999'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' after ``September 30, 1995;''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``; $51,142,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1998; and $52,676,000 for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1999'';
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1); and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, (3) $18,450,000 for engineering research and 
     $11,920,000 for geosciences research for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1998, and (4) $19,000,000 for 
     engineering research and $12,280,000 for geosciences research 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999''; and
       (4) in the last sentence of subsection (d)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' after ``September 30, 1995,''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, $2,000,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1998, and $2,060,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1999''.

     SEC. 2. REAL-TIME SEISMIC HAZARD WARNING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 
                   AND PHASED DEPLOYMENT.

       (a) Automatic Seismic Warning System Development and Phased 
     Deployment.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this section:
       (A) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the United States Geological Survey.
       (B) High-risk activity.--The term ``high-risk activity'' 
     means an activity that may be adversely affected by a 
     moderate to severe seismic event (as determined by the 
     Director). The term includes high-speed rail transportation.
       (C) Real-time seismic warning system.--The term ``real-time 
     seismic warning system'' means a system that issues warnings 
     in real-time from a network of seismic sensors to a set of 
     analysis processors, directly to receivers related to high-
     risk activities.
       (2) In general.--The Director shall conduct a program to 
     develop and deploy a real-time seismic warning system. The 
     Director may use funds made available to the Director 
     pursuant to this section to provide for a joint program with 
     an entity that the Director determines to be appropriate to 
     develop and deploy a real-time seismic warning system. The 
     Director may enter into such agreements or contracts as may 
     be necessary to carry out the program.
       (3) Upgrade of seismic sensors.--In carrying out a program 
     under paragraph (2), in order to increase the accuracy and 
     speed of seismic event analysis to provide for timely warning 
     signals, the Director shall provide for the upgrading of the 
     network of seismic sensors in existence at the time of the 
     establishment of the program to increase the capability of 
     the sensors--
       (A) to measure accurately large magnitude seismic events 
     (as determined by the Director); and
       (B) to acquire additional parametric data.
       (4) Development of communications and computation 
     infrastructure.--In carrying out a program under paragraph 
     (2), the Director shall develop a communications and 
     computation infrastructure that is necessary--
       (A) to process the data obtained from the upgraded seismic 
     sensor network referred to in paragraph (3); and
       (B) to provide for, and carry out, such communications 
     engineering and development as is necessary to facilitate--
       (i) the timely flow of data within a real-time seismic 
     hazard warning system; and
       (ii) the issuance of warnings to receivers related to high-
     risk activities.
       (5) Procurement of computer hardware and computer 
     software.--In carrying out a program under paragraph (2), the 
     Director shall procure such computer hardware and computer 
     software as may be necessary to carry out the program.
       (6) Reports on progress.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall prepare and submit 
     to Congress a report that contains a plan for implementing a 
     real-time seismic hazard warning system.
       (B) Additional reports.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date on which the Director submits the report under 
     subparagraph (A), and annually thereafter, the Director shall 
     prepare and submit to Congress a report that summarizes the 
     progress of the Director in implementing the plan referred to 
     in subparagraph (A).
       (7) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to the 
     amounts made available to the Director under section 12(b) of 
     the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 
     7706(b)), there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Department of the Interior, to be used by the Director to 
     carry out this section, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     1998 and 1999.
       (b) Earth Science Teaching Materials.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       (A) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
     agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 14101 of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     8801).
       (B) School.--The term ``school'' means a nonprofit 
     institutional day or residential school that provides 
     education for any of the grades kindergarten through grade 
     12.
       (2) Teaching materials.--In a manner consistent with the 
     requirement under section 5(b)(4)(B) of the Earthquake 
     Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7704(b)(4)(B)) and 
     subject to a merit based competitive process, the Director of 
     the National Science Foundation may use funds made available 
     to the Director under section 12(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     7706(c)) to develop, and make available to schools and local 
     educational agencies for use by schools, at a minimal cost, 
     earth science teaching materials that are designed to meet 
     the needs of elementary and secondary school teachers and 
     students.
       (c) Improved Seismic Hazard Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall conduct a project 
     to improve the seismic hazard assessment of the seismic zone 
     in East Tennessee that is described in paragraph (2).
       (2) East tennessee seismic zone.--The seismic zone 
     described in this paragraph is the seismic zone located in 
     East Tennessee, that underlies the Oak Ridge National 
     Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the Watts Bar nuclear 
     plant that is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
       (3) Reports.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and annually during the period of the 
     assessment, the Director shall prepare, and submit to 
     Congress a report on the findings of the assessment.
       (B) Final report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     termination of the assessment conducted under this 
     subsection, the Director shall prepare and submit to Congress 
     a report concerning the findings of the assessment.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to the 
     amounts made available to the Director under section 12(b) of 
     the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 
     7706(b)), there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Department of the Interior, to be used by the Director to 
     carry out this section--
       (A) $700,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
       (B) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.

[[Page S5702]]

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