CURRENT EARTHQUAKE PROGRAM
In 1977 Congress passed the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act establishing
the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) as a long term,
nationwide, earthquake risk reduction program. The Act was amended and reauthorized
in 1990. Member agencies in the program are the United States Geological
Survey (USGS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST). The purpose of NEHRP has been to reduce the risks to life and property
in the United States from earthquakes through the establishment and maintenance
of an effective national earthquake risk reduction program. The Act's aims
include improved understanding, characterization, and prediction of hazards
and vulnerabilities; improved model building codes and land use practices;
reduced risks of earthquakes through post-earthquake investigations and
education; development and improvement of design and construction techniques;
improved mitigation capacity; and accelerated application of research results.
While the aims of NEHRP were broad, the agencies that sought funds under
the 1977 Act were the ones largely engaged in research and development.
The NEHRP agencies, working both individually and in cooperative alliances
with each other, other federal and state agencies, private companies, universities,
and regional, voluntary, and professional organizations, have made significant
gains in our understanding and characterization of earthquake hazards, our
preparation for earthquakes, and how to mitigate the damage they cause (Appendix
A1). However, much remains to be learned about the most effective and economical
techniques for enhancing the seismic safety of the built environment. Moreover,
implementation of what we have learned significantly lags the state our
knowledge.