Many potential hazards, if recognized, require minimum precautions to avoid later property damage and life risk. Without such information, serious property damage and other risk conditions will develop that otherwise could have been avoided. Hazard maps would enable local and state governments to better guide land use and would contribute to long term cost reductions to the government, as well as to the private sector. Incentives could be offered to local governments for encouraging hazard recognition. Implementation Completed maps have been widely requested and distributed by the thousands.
Additional funding is needed for realistic completion dates.
Local governments need technical assistance, ordinances and enforcement model programs for their use. Legislation is necessary to require geologic hazard mapping for those types of facilities that affect the general public and to enable local governments and others to require such maps when deemed appropriate locally.