H-3560              _______________________________________________

                                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4429

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives H. Myers, Miller, Nelson, Hankins, Cooper, Beck, Raiter, G. Fisher, Phillips, Belcher, D. Sommers, Jacobsen, Anderson, Pruitt, Rector, Wood, Dellwo, R. King, Ferguson, P. King and Todd

Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

WHEREAS, State seismic history and present geophysics research indicate that a massive magnitude eight point zero or greater earthquake should be considered a possibility for western Washington, and that a major earthquake of a magnitude six or seven could occur at any time; and

          WHEREAS, Such a major seismic event will invariably pose tremendous quake and postquake hazards to the Puget Sound region's buildings, structures, lifeline systems, and socioeconomic systems; and

          WHEREAS, Lifeline systems are defined as utility systems, petroleum distribution systems,  communications systems, and transportation systems; and

          WHEREAS, Intact lifeline systems fulfill a crucial and integral role in meeting our region's daily social, cultural, and economic needs, as well as being of paramount importance in assuring the effectiveness of response and recovery operations that follow major seismic disruptions; and

          WHEREAS, The seismic resistance of lifeline systems has not been specifically addressed by state statutes or other mandates; and

          WHEREAS, The Puget Sound region's lifeline infrastructure is vulnerable in the buildings we build, the ground we build on, and the structures we rely on; and

          WHEREAS, The integrity of our lifeline networks is further jeopardized by the seismic vulnerability of our lifeline controls and mechanisms located in our lifeline command center buildings; and

          WHEREAS, Public buildings, including schools and hospitals, built prior to the past decade, may be vulnerable to severe earthquake damage and pose a potentially lethal threat to persons within or nearby these buildings; and

          WHEREAS, Mitigative engineering, design, and development measures and capabilities are often available, but not always effectively used, for enhancing the survivability of our energy, utility, and transportation lifelines;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That the state should take a leadership role in the protection of public buildings and lifeline systems; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That there is created a Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events, whose task is to understand the seismic threat posed to public buildings and lifeline systems and their associated structures, to understand applicable mitigative measures, and to determine whether legislation in this area is required; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events will also act as an oversight committee to ensure that National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program funds appropriated to the Department of Community Development are used in a manner which will comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events will be comprised of six members each from the Senate and House of Representatives, equally divided between the two major political parties.  The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall consult and appoint members from among the membership of the Senate and House Committees on Energy and Utilities, the Senate and House Committees on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Governmental Operations, the Senate  Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on State Government, the House Committee on Local Government, the House Committee on Housing, and the House Committee on Capital Facilities and Financing; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events will be co-chaired by the chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Energy and Utilities; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on Seismic Events will report to the Legislature by December 1, 1990.