Senators request USGS plans, funding needs for earthquake warning system

A collection of West Coast-based senators wrote to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) last week in pursuit of its plans and funding needs regarding the nearly 70 percent completed West Coast Early Earthquake Warning System.

Recognizing that most of the way there is significantly different from crossing the finish line, though, the lawmakers, which included U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), sought information on what a complete buildout of seismic stations along the coast would look like. They also wanted information on their maintenance and operational costs, any plans to improve reliability and resilience of the system, the possibility of installing offshore sensors and partnerships with external organizations for system operations and development.

“As we all know, it is not a matter of if but when the next major earthquake will strike,” the senators wrote to Dr. Dave Applegate, USGS Associate Director for Natural Hazards. “Therefore, it is essential that we complete the buildout of the EEW system as quickly as possible and ensure its infrastructure and operations are robust enough to provide a meaningful public safety benefit to our constituents.”

As conceived, the early warning system is meant to provide precious seconds of warning before actual shaking occurs, giving people time to get to safety, halt ongoing surgeries and stop public transit. The system, known as ShakeAlert, is now available in California, Oregon and Washington, through a series of sensors collecting and sharing real-time data about the magnitude, location and anticipated shakes from West Coast earthquakes. That data is then given to distribution partners who funnel alerts to residents.