HOUSE BILL REPORT

HCR 4407

BYRepresentatives Nelson, Nutley, Walk, R. Fisher, H. Sommers, Rust, Valle, Hankins, McLean, Schoon, Winsley, Ferguson, Haugen and D. Sommers 

Creating a joint select committee on seismic events.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (10)

      Signed by Representatives Nelson, Chair; Todd, Vice Chair; Hankins, Ranking Republican Member; Brooks, Cooper, Jacobsen, May, Miller, H. Myers and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Scott Boettcher (786-7826) and Fred Adair (786-7113)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Recent history has demonstrated that the heavily-populated Puget Sound region is susceptible to major earthquakes, as seen by the magnitude 7.1 Olympia earthquake of 1949 and the magnitude 6.5 Seattle-Tacoma earthquake of 1965.  Seismological research has supported this susceptibility and has further postulated the occurrence of a massive 8.0 magnitude, or greater, earthquake for the region.

Widespread social, cultural, and economic disruptions are characteristic of the post-quake environment.  The post-quake recovery period can be critically hampered by inoperable "lifelines." Lifelines are the systems which supply power, water, sewer, communication, and transportation to the modern society.

State earthquake actions have generally tended to focus solely on emergency response, rather than also on hazard mitigation and long-term earthquake programs.  Federal funding sources have expressed discontent with this approach, and have threatened to discontinue their distribution of National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program funds to the state of Washington.

Puget Sound region lifelines may be further jeopardized by the lack of adequate state building codes and statutes.

It is in the state's interest to learn more about this subject and what preventive actions might be appropriate.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  A Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events is created and will examine the seismic threat posed to entire lifeline networks, study methods of hazard mitigation, oversee Department of Community Development earthquake preparation efforts, propose appropriate legislation and report back to the legislature by December 1, 1989.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Provision to oversee Department of Community Development earthquake preparations was added.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 24, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Harry Halvorson, private citizen; Ray Lasmanis and Tim Walsh, Department of Natural Resources; Linda Noson, Federal Emergency Management Agency; Anthony Qamar, University of Washington; Jean Ameluxen, Department of Community Development.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Large, potentially damaging earthquakes are of sufficiently high probability to warrant prior mitigative efforts.  There are prior actions that can be taken to mitigate earthquake impacts, especially in building construction, stabilizing utility systems control facilities within buildings, and adding features at utility distribution networks/control buildings interfaces.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.