BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 135 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 7, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION Isadore Hall, Chair SB 135 (Padilla) - As Amended: May 24, 2013 SENATE VOTE : 39-0 SUBJECT : Earthquake early warning system. SUMMARY : Requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES), in collaboration with various entities, to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning system in California. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires OES, in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the California Geological Survey, the University of California, the United States Geological Survey, and others, to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning system in California, which shall include: a) Installation of field sensors. b) Improvement of field telemetry. c) Construction and testing of central processing and notification centers. d) Establishment of warning notification distribution paths to the public. e) Integration of earthquake early warning education with general earthquake preparedness efforts. 2)Requires OES to identify funding for the system through single or multiple sources of revenue, including, but not limited to, federal funds, funds from revenue bonds, local funds, and private grants. 3)Specifies that the earthquake early warning system shall not become operative until OES identifies funding for the system. 4)Specifies that if funding is not identified by January 1, 2016, the provisions of this bill shall be repealed. SB 135 Page 2 5)Requires OES to file with the Secretary of State its determination that funding was not identified by January 1, 2016. EXISTING LAW 1)Provides for the California Emergency Services Act which requires the Director of the OES to coordinate the emergency activities of all state agencies during an emergency. 2)Provides for the establishment of a Standardized Emergency Management System for use by all emergency response agencies. 3)Requires OES to coordinate the activities of all state agencies relating to preparation and implementation of the State Emergency Plan, which is the response efforts of state and local agencies and the integration of federal resources into state and local response and recovery operations. 4)Establishes the California Geological Survey which provides scientific products and services about the state's geology, seismology and mineral resources including their related hazards, which affect the health, safety, and business interests of the people of California. The Geological Survey creates and maintains the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) "ShakeMaps." FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown COMMENTS : Purpose of the bill : According to the author, while earthquakes cannot be predicted or prevented, using advanced science and technology we can detect seismic activity to provide an advanced warning, save lives and help mitigate damage. The author further states, that the objective of earthquake early warning is to rapidly detect the initiation of an earthquake, estimate the level of ground shaking to be expected, and issue a warning before significant ground shaking begins. The warnings allow people to take cover, assist loved ones, pull to the side of the road or exit a building. Earthquake early warning systems not only alert the public, they also speed the response of police, fire and other safety personnel by quickly identifying areas hardest hit by the quake. SB 135 Page 3 Early warning systems are in place, or in the works in a number of earthquake prone nations including Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, China and Romania. Japan's earthquake early warning system provided the public with critical advanced warning of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in March 2011. Earthquake warnings were automatically broadcast on television and radio, and 52 million people received the warning on their smartphones. Millions more downloaded the early warning app after the quake to receive warnings in advance of large aftershocks. Background : As previously documented, California is a hotbed for earthquake activity. Ninety percent of the world's earthquakes and over eighty percent of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Circum-Pacific Belt, also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire for its ever present earthquake activity. The Pacific Rim of fire includes the very active San Andreas fault zone in California. Predictions from the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast released in 2008 found that there is a 99.7% likelihood of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake and a 94% chance of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in California within the next 30 years. In January 2013, the California Institute of Technology and the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology published a study concluding for the first time that a statewide California earthquake involving both the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas may be possible. While earthquakes cannot be predicted or prevented, using advanced science and technology has in the past detected seismic activity and provided advanced warning. The objective of earthquake early warning is to rapidly detect the initiation of an earthquake, estimate the level of ground shaking to be expected, issue a warning before significant ground shaking begins, and estimate the location and the magnitude of the earthquake. This is then used to estimate the anticipated ground shaking across the region to be effected. California currently has the California Integrated Seismic Network, which is a demonstration earthquake early warning system. The author contends that a fully developed system would process data from an array of sensors throughout the state. The SB 135 Page 4 system would effectively detect the strength and progression of earthquakes, alert the public within seconds and provide up to 60 seconds advanced warning. Earthquake Early Warning Systems : When an earthquake occurs seismic waves radiate from the epicenter like waves on a pond - it is these waves we feel as earthquake shaking which causes damage to structures. The technology exists to detect moderate to large earthquakes so quickly that a warning can be sent to locations outside the area where the earthquake begins before these destructive waves arrive. The amount of warning time at a particular location depends on the distance from the earthquake epicenter. Locations very close to the earthquake epicenter will receive relatively little or no warning whereas locations far removed from the earthquake epicenter would receive more warning time but may not experience damaging shaking. For those locations in between, the warning time could range from seconds to minutes. Currently, there are two approaches to earthquake early warning - the "single station" (or on-site) approach and the "network" approach. In the single-station approach, a single sensor detects the arrival of the faster but weaker seismic wave (P-wave) and warns before the arrival of the slower, more destructive seismic wave (S-wave). This approach is relatively simple, but some would argue it is less accurate and more prone to false alerts compared to the network approach. The network approach utilizes many seismic sensors that are distributed across a wide area where earthquakes are likely to occur. This network of sensors sends data to a central site where ground motion signals are analyzed, earthquakes are detected and warnings are issued. The network approach is considered to be slower, but more reliable than the on-site approach. This is because it uses information from many stations to confirm that the ground motion detected is actually from an earthquake and not from some other source of vibration. Arguments in support : The California Institute of Technology argues that although we cannot prevent an earthquake, we can better prepare ourselves and save lives by using our advanced science and technology to detect seismic activity to provide an advanced warning. The southern section of the existing California Integrated Seismic Network is located here at Caltech, which has been a global leader in seismic studies for SB 135 Page 5 nearly a century. Seismologists envision a warning system that would process data from an array of sensor throughout the state. The system would effectively detect the strength and the progression of earthquakes, alert the public within seconds and provide up to 60 seconds advanced warning before potentially damaging ground shaking is felt. The City of West Hollywood further contends that a statewide earthquake early warning system is of vital importance for California, a state that is especially susceptible to earthquakes. A system that would detect seismic activity, determine that progression, and alert people in advance of an approaching earthquake, as envisioned in SB 135, would save lives. All California cities must better prepare for future earthquakes and an earthquake early warning system would advance the preparedness work of cities by disseminating earthquake information that will support public safety and emergency response, and help to mitigate structural and financial loss. The 1994 Northridge earthquake was a sobering reminder for those of us living in Los Angeles County of our region's particular vulnerability to earthquakes and the importance of earthquake preparedness. SB 135 will save lives, property, and money. Suggested Amendments : The California Legislature established the Alfred E. Alquist California Seismic Safety Commission in 1975 with the passage of the Seismic Safety Act. Among its many duties, the Commission is charged with reducing earthquake risk to California residents, reviewing seismic activities funded by the State, proposing and reviewing earthquake-related legislation, and recommending earthquake safety programs to governmental agencies and the private sector. With such specific knowledge into earthquake events in the State of California the committee might find it prudent to include the Commission in the development of a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning system. Therefore, the committee might wish to include the following amendment on page 3, line 17: Delete "and others" and insert "Alfred E. Alquist California Seismic Safety Commission." Previous Legislation : AB 928 (Blakeslee) 2009-2010 Legislation Session. The bill would have required the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop an earthquake early warning system and coordinate development of that system with the Cal-EMA, the SB 135 Page 6 Department of Education, and the Public Utilities Commission. The bill would have required the earthquake early warning system to be designed to protect the lives of high-speed train passengers and schoolchildren, and critical infrastructure by providing advanced earthquake warning and by enabling preventive measures seconds before an earthquake. (Held in Assembly Governmental Organization Committee) SB 1278 (Alquist), Chapter 532, Statutes of 2006. The bill, among other things, renamed the Seismic Safety Commission the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, placed the commission within the State and Consumer Services Agency, as an independent unit, and increased the membership of the commission from 17 members to 20 members. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support AFSCME, AFL-CIO Berkeley Seismological Laboratory California Institute of Technology City of Baldwin Park City of Bell Gardens City of Beverly Hills City of Chula Vista City of Coalinga City of Culver City City of Encinitas City of Grover Beach City of Irvine City of Los Angeles City of Martinez City of Pasadena City of San Luis Obispo City of Rancho Cordova City of Walnut Creek City of Watsonville City of West Hollywood City of Winters Metropolitan Water District San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors University of California Opposition SB 135 Page 7 None on file Analysis Prepared by : Felipe Lopez / G. O. / (916) 319-2531