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Chapter 12.1. The California Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 2. >> Chapter 12.1.
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a) California is situated on the rim of the Circum-Pacific seismic belt and it is inevitable that earthquakes along the state's numerous faults will cause extensive property damage and endanger the lives of people nearby. The risk to life and property is especially significant near the San Andreas fault where rapid growth and population increases have occurred in our largest urban centers over the last several decades. With each passing year, the potential for an earthquake-caused catastrophe increases as California's growth continues and the time lengthens since the last great earthquake.
(b) Earthquakes have caused and can cause in the future enormous loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption. With respect to future earthquakes, that loss, injury, destruction, and disruption can be reduced substantially by developing and implementing earthquake hazards reduction measures, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Improving design and construction methods and practices.
(2) Rehabilitating hazardous buildings.
(3) Coordinating emergency planning for response by the government and private sectors.
(4) Implementing land use and redevelopment planning.
(5) Developing public information and education programs.
(6) Improving emergency response capabilities and emergency management systems.
(7) Developing long-term social and economic recovery strategies.
(8) Upgrading the strong motion instrumentation system.
(9) Improving basic research of physical and social earthquake phenomena.
(c) While the major responsibility for dealing with earthquakes before and after they happen is firmly fixed with local government, state government also has fundamental responsibilities to take all reasonable measures to reduce the seismic hazards to which the citizens of California are exposed. The state should assume a leadership role by influencing the direction of existing and future national earthquake hazard reduction programs and should serve as a model for local hazard reduction measures.
(d) Earthquake hazard reduction measures often benefit many state programs and bring about improvements in buildings, dams, transportation facilities, communications, fire safety, toxic materials handling, and emergency response preparations.
(e) Over the past 10 years, numerous studies have been completed by the Seismic Safety Commission, the Office of Emergency Services, the California Division of Mines and Geology, the Governor's Earthquake Task Force, the federal government, and private sector organizations recommending improvements in hazard mitigation programs to reduce the earthquake threat in California. Implementing recommendations from these studies will reduce earthquake hazards, improve earthquake disaster response, and guide reconstruction and recovery efforts.
(a) California is situated on the rim of the Circum-Pacific seismic belt and it is inevitable that earthquakes along the state's numerous faults will cause extensive property damage and endanger the lives of people nearby. The risk to life and property is especially significant near the San Andreas fault where rapid growth and population increases have occurred in our largest urban centers over the last several decades. With each passing year, the potential for an earthquake-caused catastrophe increases as California's growth continues and the time lengthens since the last great earthquake.
(b) Earthquakes have caused and can cause in the future enormous loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption. With respect to future earthquakes, that loss, injury, destruction, and disruption can be reduced substantially by developing and implementing earthquake hazards reduction measures, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Improving design and construction methods and practices.
(2) Rehabilitating hazardous buildings.
(3) Coordinating emergency planning for response by the government and private sectors.
(4) Implementing land use and redevelopment planning.
(5) Developing public information and education programs.
(6) Improving emergency response capabilities and emergency management systems.
(7) Developing long-term social and economic recovery strategies.
(8) Upgrading the strong motion instrumentation system.
(9) Improving basic research of physical and social earthquake phenomena.
(c) While the major responsibility for dealing with earthquakes before and after they happen is firmly fixed with local government, state government also has fundamental responsibilities to take all reasonable measures to reduce the seismic hazards to which the citizens of California are exposed. The state should assume a leadership role by influencing the direction of existing and future national earthquake hazard reduction programs and should serve as a model for local hazard reduction measures.
(d) Earthquake hazard reduction measures often benefit many state programs and bring about improvements in buildings, dams, transportation facilities, communications, fire safety, toxic materials handling, and emergency response preparations.
(e) Over the past 10 years, numerous studies have been completed by the Seismic Safety Commission, the Office of Emergency Services, the California Division of Mines and Geology, the Governor's Earthquake Task Force, the federal government, and private sector organizations recommending improvements in hazard mitigation programs to reduce the earthquake threat in California. Implementing recommendations from these studies will reduce earthquake hazards, improve earthquake disaster response, and guide reconstruction and recovery efforts.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as The
California Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1986.
(a) There is hereby established a coordinated program
pursuant to which the state shall implement new and expanded
activities to significantly reduce the earthquake threat to its
citizens. This program, to be known as the California Earthquake
Hazard Reduction Program, shall be prepared and administered by the
Seismic Safety Commission pursuant to its existing authority under
Section 8870.7.
(b) The program set forth in subdivision (a) shall specify priorities, funding sources, and amounts, schedules, and other resources needed to significantly reduce earthquake hazards statewide by January 1, 2000. The achievement of this goal shall be undertaken with the following objectives:
(1) Mitigation. The reduction of the earthquake hazard to acceptable levels through significant reduction in the number of hazardous buildings and the expansion of scientific and engineering studies.
(2) Preparedness. The increase in the level of preparedness statewide by appropriate measures to deal with special issues, such as earthquake prediction, hazardous materials, critical facilities, and disaster preparedness plans for all major population centers, and education, training, and public information.
(3) Response. The enhancement of the state's capability to respond to a major earthquake disaster by giving priority to increased coordination and integration of federal, state, and local plans and preparedness activities, improvements in the statewide communication system, creation of a state emergency coordination center or centers, and greater automation of emergency management data.
(4) Recovery. The development of management systems for major earthquake recovery, the enhancement of resources management, and the minimization of high unemployment, multiple business failures, tax base erosion, and associated monetary and financial issues critical to the restoration of California's economy and public services.
(c) The state's existing seismic safety activities are currently administered by over two dozen separate agencies. Responsibility for administering these activities shall remain with these agencies. These existing activities shall continue and shall be incorporated into the coordinated program established under subdivision (a).
(d) The program shall consist of a series of five-year programs and each five-year program shall be revised by the Seismic Safety Commission annually and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature. Each revision shall include a finding on the state's progress toward the goal stated in subdivision (b).
(e) The immediate steps to be undertaken by the commission shall include the performance of existing activities provided in the budget prepared by the Governor for the 1985-86 fiscal year and the Budget Act of 1985 and the preparation of the first five-year program.
(f) The first five-year program document shall be completed by September 1, 1986, and shall include specific measures and funding needed for adequate progress towards the state's earthquake safety goals by January 1, 2000. This program and subsequent programs shall cover a five-year implementation period and shall recommend any necessary statutory changes for program implementation.
(b) The program set forth in subdivision (a) shall specify priorities, funding sources, and amounts, schedules, and other resources needed to significantly reduce earthquake hazards statewide by January 1, 2000. The achievement of this goal shall be undertaken with the following objectives:
(1) Mitigation. The reduction of the earthquake hazard to acceptable levels through significant reduction in the number of hazardous buildings and the expansion of scientific and engineering studies.
(2) Preparedness. The increase in the level of preparedness statewide by appropriate measures to deal with special issues, such as earthquake prediction, hazardous materials, critical facilities, and disaster preparedness plans for all major population centers, and education, training, and public information.
(3) Response. The enhancement of the state's capability to respond to a major earthquake disaster by giving priority to increased coordination and integration of federal, state, and local plans and preparedness activities, improvements in the statewide communication system, creation of a state emergency coordination center or centers, and greater automation of emergency management data.
(4) Recovery. The development of management systems for major earthquake recovery, the enhancement of resources management, and the minimization of high unemployment, multiple business failures, tax base erosion, and associated monetary and financial issues critical to the restoration of California's economy and public services.
(c) The state's existing seismic safety activities are currently administered by over two dozen separate agencies. Responsibility for administering these activities shall remain with these agencies. These existing activities shall continue and shall be incorporated into the coordinated program established under subdivision (a).
(d) The program shall consist of a series of five-year programs and each five-year program shall be revised by the Seismic Safety Commission annually and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature. Each revision shall include a finding on the state's progress toward the goal stated in subdivision (b).
(e) The immediate steps to be undertaken by the commission shall include the performance of existing activities provided in the budget prepared by the Governor for the 1985-86 fiscal year and the Budget Act of 1985 and the preparation of the first five-year program.
(f) The first five-year program document shall be completed by September 1, 1986, and shall include specific measures and funding needed for adequate progress towards the state's earthquake safety goals by January 1, 2000. This program and subsequent programs shall cover a five-year implementation period and shall recommend any necessary statutory changes for program implementation.
(a) The office shall establish an interim state operations
center in southern California to coordinate response to a major
earthquake. The office shall also develop an operational
communications plan for the center based upon an inventory of current
communications capabilities and an assessment of structural
vulnerabilities.
(b) The office shall undertake a design analysis regarding construction of a permanent state operations center in southern California, including an evaluation of telecommunications and information technology systems for emergency management functions.
(c) All appropriations for the purposes of subdivision (a) or (b) shall be reviewed by the Department of Finance prior to obligation of funds.
(b) The office shall undertake a design analysis regarding construction of a permanent state operations center in southern California, including an evaluation of telecommunications and information technology systems for emergency management functions.
(c) All appropriations for the purposes of subdivision (a) or (b) shall be reviewed by the Department of Finance prior to obligation of funds.
The commission shall prepare the California Earthquake
Hazard Reduction Program, in consultation with the Office of
Emergency Services, the Division of Mines and Geology in the
Department of Conservation, the Office of the State Architect, the
Emergency Medical Services Authority, the University of California
and other appropriate institutions of higher learning, the California
National Guard, the Department of Finance, other appropriate state
and local agencies, the private sector, volunteer groups, and the
Legislature.
The commission may hold public hearings or joint hearings with
other groups and conduct other activities as necessary for the
development of the program.
The disastrous effects and after effects of the Mexico City
earthquake of September 19, 1985, have increased the urgency for
development of local plans to provide authority and procedures for
orderly transition from emergency disaster response operations to
short- and long-range efforts toward reestablishment of governmental
services, private business activity, and reconstruction and
rehabilitation.
In furtherance of that purpose, the commission shall enter into a
grant agreement with a local agency situated in a high
earthquake-hazard area for development of a program model for use by
local agencies and the state which will address at least, but need
not be limited to, the following elements:
(a) Establishment of a coordinating body within the jurisdiction to assess the various impacts of the disaster, recommend appropriate legislative, administrative, and private actions, and monitor implementation efforts.
(b) Creation of an information-gathering mechanism to provide the basis for evaluation, prioritization, and implementation.
(c) Procedures for coordination and orderly transition from disaster response to reconstruction and rehabilitation.
(d) Identification, delineation, and preparation of legislation, both statutory and local, necessary to provide authority on a preevent basis for postevent activity to accomplish the purposes of this program.
(e) Integration and coordination with this chapter, the California Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550)), the Disaster Assistance Act (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 8680)), the Economic Disaster Act of 1984 (Chapter 7.6 (commencing with Section 8695)), the Planning and Zoning Law (Title 7 (commencing with Section 65000)), the Community Redevelopment Law (Part 1 (commencing with Section 33000) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code), and the Community Development Financial Assistance and Disaster Project Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 34000) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code).
(f) Identification of those components of the local program which may serve as a program model for disasters other than those caused by earthquake.
(a) Establishment of a coordinating body within the jurisdiction to assess the various impacts of the disaster, recommend appropriate legislative, administrative, and private actions, and monitor implementation efforts.
(b) Creation of an information-gathering mechanism to provide the basis for evaluation, prioritization, and implementation.
(c) Procedures for coordination and orderly transition from disaster response to reconstruction and rehabilitation.
(d) Identification, delineation, and preparation of legislation, both statutory and local, necessary to provide authority on a preevent basis for postevent activity to accomplish the purposes of this program.
(e) Integration and coordination with this chapter, the California Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550)), the Disaster Assistance Act (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 8680)), the Economic Disaster Act of 1984 (Chapter 7.6 (commencing with Section 8695)), the Planning and Zoning Law (Title 7 (commencing with Section 65000)), the Community Redevelopment Law (Part 1 (commencing with Section 33000) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code), and the Community Development Financial Assistance and Disaster Project Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 34000) of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code).
(f) Identification of those components of the local program which may serve as a program model for disasters other than those caused by earthquake.
