I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 654 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to carry out a plan for the purchase and installation of an earthquake 
early warning system for the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 24, 2017 
Mr. DEFAZIO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency to carry out a plan for the purchase 
and installation of an earthquake early warning system 
for the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITION. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 
2017’’. 
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(b) CASCADIA SUBDUCTION ZONE DEFINED.—In 
this Act, the term ‘‘Cascadia Subduction Zone’’ means the 
landward-dipping fault that is approximately 684 miles 
long, separates the Juan de Fuca and North America 
plates, and stretches along a portion of the western coast 
of the United States beginning off Cape Mendocino, Cali-
fornia, along the State of Oregon, the State of Wash-
ington, to Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 
SEC. 2. EARTHQUAKE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR 
CASCADIA SUBDUCTION ZONE. 
(a) PLAN FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT
AND
FUNDING.—The Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall— 
(A) develop a plan for the purchase and in-
stallation of an earthquake early warning sys-
tem for the Cascadia Subduction Zone; and 
(B) identify the funds necessary for imple-
mentation of the plan. 
(2) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a copy of the plan. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
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ministrator shall make grants to States, Indian tribes, and 
units of local governments to provide for implementation 
of the plan. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report that summarizes the actions taken to implement 
the plan. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate. 
(2) EARTHQUAKE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.— 
The term ‘‘earthquake early warning system’’ in-
cludes— 
(A) improvements to regional and geodetic 
networks that support building a capability for 
an earthquake early warning system; and 
(B) seismometers, Global Positioning Sys-
tem receivers, and associated infrastructure. 
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SEC. 3. EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI TASK FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish an 
Earthquake and Tsunami Task Force for the purpose of 
developing a comprehensive strategy and recommenda-
tions on how the Nation should prepare and plan for, miti-
gate against, respond to, recover from, and more success-
fully adapt to a covered event in the Cascadia Subduction 
Zone. 
(b) TASK FORCE.— 
(1) MEMBERSHIP.—The membership of the 
Task Force shall include a cross section of subject 
matter experts representing the following: 
(A) Relevant Federal agencies. 
(B) The States of Oregon, Washington, 
and California. 
(C) Indian tribes, local governments, and 
private sector representatives that may be im-
pacted by a covered event in the Cascadia 
Subduction Zone. 
(D) Universities, academia, and research 
institutions with expertise in topics relevant to 
the work of the Task Force. 
(2) CHAIRPERSON.—The Administrator (or the 
Administrator’s designee) shall serve as the chair-
person of the Task Force. 
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(3) DETAILED EMPLOYEES.—Members of the 
Task Force may detail employees to assist the Ad-
ministrator (or the Administrator’s designee) in ful-
filling the responsibilities of the Task Force. 
(c) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.— 
(1) STRATEGY.—The comprehensive strategy to 
be developed under subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
(A) A description of how Federal agencies 
will coordinate to develop the ability to prepare 
and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, re-
cover from, and more successfully adapt to the 
impacts of a covered event in the Cascadia 
Subduction Zone. 
(B) A strategy to ensure collaboration be-
tween the Department of Transportation, the 
Department of Energy, the Coast Guard, the 
Corps of Engineers, and other Federal agencies, 
as appropriate, for purposes of— 
(i) completing a needs assessment of 
Federal facilities in need of hardening for 
a covered event; and 
(ii) developing a strategic plan to 
mitigate and retrofit Federal, State, tribal, 
and local critical assets for freight, energy, 
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and transit purposes to withstand a cov-
ered event and to help save lives during 
and immediately after a covered event. 
(C) A strategy— 
(i) to assist State, tribal, and local 
governments in developing and imple-
menting a coordinated and comprehensive 
plan to prioritize Federal, State, tribal, 
local, and private investments and activi-
ties to develop the ability to prepare and 
plan for, mitigate against, respond to, re-
cover from, and more successfully adapt to 
the impacts of a covered event in the 
Cascadia Subduction Zone; and 
(ii) to link any existing statewide miti-
gation plan with such a coordinated and 
comprehensive plan. 
(D) With respect to the strategy described 
in subparagraph (C), an examination of the fea-
sibility of the public sector, the private sector, 
and individuals to acquire earthquake insur-
ance. 
(E) An identification of funding opportuni-
ties to implement the comprehensive strategy 
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and any recommendations made by the Task 
Force, including— 
(i) 
existing 
funding 
opportunities 
across Federal agencies and other sources; 
and 
(ii) potential new funding opportuni-
ties. 
(F) An identification of barriers to obtain-
ing funding for the implementation of the com-
prehensive strategy and recommendations on 
how to remove the barriers. 
(G) A strategy for appropriate Federal 
agencies to collaborate with and assist State, 
tribal, and local governments in developing rec-
ommendations for cost-effective mitigation al-
ternatives for aging State, tribal, and locally 
owned critical infrastructure. 
(H) A strategy for assisting State, tribal, 
and local governments in developing a recovery 
plan prior to a covered event in the Cascadia 
Subduction Zone that addresses how State, 
tribal, and local governments may want to re-
build after the event. 
(I) An identification of the steps taken to 
date to develop an onshore and offshore earth-
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quake early warning system and a description 
of the purpose and scope of such a system. 
(J) An evaluation of the types of offshore 
earthquake early warning systems and rec-
ommendations and a cost estimate for an earth-
quake early warning system appropriate for the 
Cascadia Subduction Zone. 
(K) Recommendations on how an earth-
quake early warning system should operate, in-
cluding whether and how the system should 
interface with the private sector. 
(L) A description of appropriate roles and 
responsibilities for Federal, State, local, and 
tribal governments, including who should oper-
ate and maintain an earthquake early warning 
system, the cost of the system, and possible 
funding sources for the system. 
(M) A plan on how to integrate an earth-
quake early warning system into existing and 
new public alert warning systems and tech-
nologies, including mobile systems. 
(2) USE OF EXISTING PLANS.—In developing 
the comprehensive strategy, the Task Force may use 
existing plans, studies, and other resources. 
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(d) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The recommendations to 
be developed by the Task Force under subsection (a) shall 
include recommendations on— 
(1) 
potential 
administrative 
or 
legislative 
changes required to implement the comprehensive 
strategy; 
(2) the funding required to implement the com-
prehensive strategy and the recommendations; and 
(3) the order of priority for implementation of 
the comprehensive strategy. 
(e) NATIONAL ACADEMIES.— 
(1) COLLABORATION.—The Task Force shall 
work simultaneously and collaboratively with the Na-
tional Academies. 
(2) AGREEMENT.—The Task Force shall enter 
into an agreement with the National Academies 
under which the National Academies shall develop 
recommendations for a Federal research strategy to 
advance scientific understanding of a Cascadia 
Subduction Zone earthquake and resulting tsunami 
preparedness, including the following: 
(A) Geologic conditions, ground motions, 
and tsunami hazards. 
(B) Implications of an effective automated 
early warning system. 
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(C) Effects of mega-earthquake and tsu-
nami events on the built and natural environ-
ment. 
(D) Social and behavioral factors for effec-
tive disaster preparedness and response. 
(E) Cost-effective mitigation alternatives 
for legacy and aging infrastructure. 
(F) Strategic planning for freight, energy, 
and transit network robustness. 
(G) Tools that help communities invest 
their resources for the greatest benefit. 
(H) Any other topics identified as nec-
essary by the Task Force or the National Acad-
emies. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate a report of the Task Force that includes the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The comprehensive strategy to be developed 
under subsection (a). 
(2) The recommendations to be developed under 
subsections (a), (d), and (e). 
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(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) COVERED
EVENT.—The term ‘‘covered 
event’’ means an earthquake, tsunami, or combined 
earthquake and tsunami event. 
(3) TASK
FORCE.—The term ‘‘Task Force’’ 
means the Federal interagency task force to be es-
tablished under subsection (a). 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL PREPARATION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS 
RELATING TO EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS. 
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency shall be responsible for the Nation’s ef-
forts to reduce the loss of life and property, and to protect 
the Nation, from an earthquake, tsunami, or combined 
earthquake and tsunami event by developing the ability 
to prepare and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, re-
cover from, and more successfully adapt to such an event. 
SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION ACTIVITIES. 
Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(f) USE
OF ASSISTANCE.—Recipients of hazard 
mitigation assistance provided under this section and sec-
tion 203 may use the assistance to conduct activities to 
help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or 
suffering in any area affected by earthquake hazards, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(1) improvements to regional seismic networks 
in support of building a capability for earthquake 
early warning; 
‘‘(2) improvements to geodetic networks in sup-
port of building a capability for earthquake early 
warning; and 
‘‘(3) improvements to seismometers, Global Po-
sitioning System receivers, and associated infrastruc-
ture in support of building a capability for earth-
quake early warning.’’. 
Æ 
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