Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District
Home > Legislative Issues > Tsunami Detection > Tsunami Legislation
Legislative Issues
Tsunami Detection
Inslee, Boehlert Introduce Tsunami Warning System Legislation
18 April 2005
U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) today introduced the United States Tsunami Warning and Education Act, HR 1674. The legislation will improve both domestic and international tsunami detection, forecasting, warning and preparedness efforts through increased education, research and detection systems. U.S. Reps Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and David Wu (D-OR) are original cosponsors of the bill.
Said Inslee, “The horrible tragedy in Southeast Asia showed us the necessity of having a robust tsunami warning and education program to protect communities in our geologically active region from disaster. This bill not only deploys more detection devices, but emphasizes the need to establish an alert system and to raise public awareness of tsunami risks. We cannot ignore the tsunami potential from activity in the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Washington State science and technology are poised to be at the forefront of the research and deployment of this tsunami detection system. I commend Chairman Boehlert for his diligent and thoughtful work in creating a comprehensive bill to address future tsunami threats throughout the country and world.”
Said Chairman Boehlert, “The most advanced detection technology in the world is not going to save people if they don’t know what to do when a tsunami is coming. This bill creates a community-based tsunami hazard mitigation program where federal and state officials will work together to help these at-risk communities create better maps and evacuation plans, while educating its citizens on how to respond. Detection must be matched with education and proper planning.”
Recently, Inslee was briefed about tsunami warning technology by local tsunami-expert Dr. Eddie Bernard from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle. The Laboratory has pioneered the research and deployment of the existing tsunami detection system. In addition, Redmond-based Paroscientific manufactures the pressure transducers with which NOAA’s tsunami warning buoys are equipped.
Of particular importance to Washington State, the legislation will increase funding for NOAA research into tsunami detection, and will require NOAA to notify Congress when a part of the tsunami system malfunctions. Three of the six buoys off the West Coast of the United States were inoperable for parts of the past year, yet the public was not made aware of this until after the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia. The bill will also provide dedicated funding for federal and state coordination on tsunami awareness and preparedness programs, which will affect communities along the Washington State coastline.
Similar to the Administration’s proposal, the Boehlert-Inslee bill will strengthen the existing tsunami detection and warning system in the Pacific and expand it to cover the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The Boehlert-Inslee bill, however, will also emphasize community outreach and education programs. The legislation provides $30 million per year, for three years to NOAA, of which $21 million a year would be for detection and warning systems, $6 million a year for education and outreach, and $3 million a year for research. The bill also directs NOAA to provide technical assistance and training on the development of a global tsunami detection and warning network, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards will consider the legislation on Wednesday, 20 April 2005 at 3:00pm in 2318 Rayburn.
Highlights of the United States Tsunami Warning and Education Act, HR 1674:
- Expands tsunami forecast and warning capability for all U.S. coastlines: The bill allows NOAA the flexibility to determine the proper mix of detection equipment (buoys, tidal gauges, etc.), but it requires that the components gather more than just tsunami data and that they be integrated with other ocean observing systems.
- Requires NOAA to notify Congress within a sufficient amount of time if any part of the detection or warning system malfunctions: During the December 26th Indian Ocean Tsunami, three of the six NOAA special detection buoys, including some off the Washington State coast, were not working; one had been inoperable for fifteen months.
- Increases emphasis on tsunami education and outreach activities: Inslee and Boehlert heard from many experts that education and outreach activities are important to saving lives. The bill creates a federal/state partnership program to improve community awareness and preparedness for tsunamis. States would help decide which activities would be funded, such as inundation maps, evacuation plans and warning sirens.
- Requires NOAA to have a dedicated tsunami research program: The program will improve our abilities to detect, forecast, and mitigate for tsunami threats with specific research on new buoys, modeling and mapping.
- Directs NOAA to provide technical advice and training to the international community: As the United States works toward the goal of a global tsunami detection and warning system, NOAA will provide guidance on detection equipment, identifying and mapping vulnerable coastal areas and developing communication technologies to provide quick and reliable warnings to vulnerable communities.
- Calls on the National Academy of Sciences to review NOAA’s tsunami programs: The goal of this provision is to have outside experts evaluate NOAA’s efforts and provide recommendations to improve the programs.