BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 135|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 135
Author: Padilla (D), et al.
Amended: 9/11/13
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE : 11-0, 4/9/13
AYES: Wright, Nielsen, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella, Correa,
De Le�n, Galgiani, Hernandez, Lieu, Padilla
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/23/13
AYES: Pavley, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Hueso, Jackson, Lara,
Monning, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 5/23/13
AYES: De Le�n, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
SENATE FLOOR : 39-0, 5/28/13
AYES: Anderson, Beall, Berryhill, Block, Calderon, Cannella,
Corbett, Correa, De Le�n, DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Evans, Fuller,
Gaines, Galgiani, Hancock, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Huff,
Jackson, Knight, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Liu, Monning, Nielsen,
Padilla, Pavley, Price, Roth, Steinberg, Torres, Walters,
Wolk, Wright, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Vacancy
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not available
SUBJECT : Earthquake early warning system
SOURCE : Author
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DIGEST : This bill makes various findings and declarations
relative to the nature of earthquakes and early warning
technology and requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES),
in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology
(Caltech), the California Geological Survey (CGS), the
University of California, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the
Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (SSC), and others,
to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning
(EEW) system in California and requires the system to include
certain features, including the installation of field sensors;
and makes these provisions contingent upon OES identifying
funding sources for the system, as provided. If no funding
sources are identified by January 1, 2016, these provisions are
repealed.
Assembly Amendments add the SSC to the list of entities required
to collaborate with the OES in the development of the EEW
system; requires OES to develop an approval mechanism; prohibit
OES from identifying the General Fund as a funding source; state
legislative intent; and make technical and clarifying changes.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Provides for the California Emergency Services Act requiring
the Director of 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. Provides that OES shall coordinate the activities of all
state agencies relating to preparation and implementation of
the State Emergency Plan, 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 CGS 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 CGS creates and maintains the California
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Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) "ShakeMaps."
5. Requires that safety elements of local general plans protect
communities from any unreasonable risks associated with the
effects of, amongst others, earthquakes and tsunamis, and
include mapping of known seismic and other geological
hazards.
6. Provides for the 20-member SSC which was established with
the passage of the Seismic Safety Commission Act of 1975, in
response to the devastation following the Sylmar Earthquake
of 1971, after an ad hoc committee recognized the need for a
continuing effort to build the state's infrastructure to
resist future earthquakes. The SSC is charged with
investigating earthquakes, advising the Governor, Legislature
and state and local government on ways to reduce earthquake
risk and ensuring a coordinated framework for establishing
earthquake safety policies and programs in California.
This bill:
1. Makes legislative findings and declarations relating to
California seismic activity/forecast, the Pacific Ring of
Fire, and EEW systems.
2. Requires OES, in collaboration with Caltech, UC, USGS, CGS,
SSC, and other stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive
statewide EEW system through a public-private, partnership in
California that includes, but is not limited to, (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, and (e)
integration of EEW education with general earthquake
preparedness efforts.
3. 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.
4. Provides that #2 above shall not become operative until OES
identifies funding pursuant to #3 above.
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5. Requires OES, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop
an approval mechanism to review compliance with EEW standards
as they are developed. Requires the development of an
approval mechanism to include input from a broad
representation of EEW stakeholders. Requires that the
approval mechanism (a) ensure appropriate standards, (b)
determine the degree to which the standards apply to
providers and components of the system, (c) determine methods
to ensure compliance with the standards, and (d) determine
requirements for participation in the system.
6. Prohibits OES from identifying the General Fund as a funding
source for the purpose of establishing the EEW system.
7. Provides that if funding is not identified, as specified, by
January 1, 2016, the provisions of the bill are repealed
unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before
January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date.
8. Requires OES to file with the Secretary of State its
determination that funding was not identified, as specified.
Background
EEW system . 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 EEW - 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
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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.
CISN . The CISN, a collaborative effort between Caltech, UC
Berkeley, USGS, California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA)
and CGS, currently operates a network of hundreds of seismic
sensors in California to monitor and notify earthquake activity
in this State. The CISN is primarily funded by USGS, CalEMA,
and CGS. The CISN generates and distributes ShakeMaps and
other products for emergency response, post-earthquake recovery,
earthquake engineering, and seismological research.
Ring of Fire . California is in the heart of the Pacific Ring of
Fire which includes the very active San Andreas Fault zone which
is more than 800 miles long and extends to depths of at least 10
miles within the Earth. Geological studies show that over the
past 1,400 to 1,500 years large earthquakes have occurred at
about 150-year intervals on the southern San Andreas Fault - the
last such large quake in 1857.
According to a 2008 analysis from the Uniform California
Earthquake Rupture Forecast, California has a 99.7% chance of
having a 6.7 magnitude earthquake and a 94% likelihood of a 7.0
magnitude earthquake during the next 30 years. In addition, the
USGS released a report that showed a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on
the southern Andreas Fault would cause 2,000 deaths and $200
billion in damage, with severe and long lasting disruption.
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 turned on the first
publicly available nationwide EEW system in 2007, and on March
11, 2011, it had its first true test during the 9.0 magnitude
Tohoku earthquake off the coast of Sendai. Earthquake warnings
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were automatically broadcast on television and radio and 52
million people received their warning via smartphones - millions
more downloaded the early warning app after the quake to receive
warnings in advance of large aftershocks.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Initial estimated costs of approximately $80 million over five
years (likely $20-$25 million in the first year, and $12-$15
million for the remaining four years) to establish a statewide
EEW system (federal/local/private). This assumes an expansion
of the current CISN, rather than building a warning system
from the ground up.
Initial OES staffing costs of $399,000 annually (two Research
Specialist II positions) to support the development of the
system.
SUPPORT : (Verified 9/11/13)
AFSCME
AtHoc, Inc.
California Institute of Technology
Cities of Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Beverly Hills, Coalinga,
Encinitas, Grover
Beach, Irvine, Los Angeles, Rancho Cordova, San Luis
Obispo, South El
Monte, Watsonville, and Winters
City and County of San Francisco
City of Chula Vista, Councilman Rudy Ramirez
City of Culver City, Mayor Jeffrey Cooper
City of Martinez, Mayor Rob Schroder
City of Pasadena, Mayor Bill Bogaard
City of Walnut Creek, Mayor Cindy Silva
City of West Hollywood, Mayor Abbe Land
Counties of San Luis Obispo and San Mateo
ISTI (Sarasota Springs, NY)
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Town of Los Altos Hills
University of California
University of California, Berkeley
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OPPOSITION : (Verified 9/11/13)
Department of Finance
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "while
earthquakes cannot be predicated or prevented, using advanced
science and technology we can detect seismic activity to provide
an advanced warning, save lives and help mitigate damage.
California currently has the California Integrated Seismic
Network (CISN), which is a demonstration EEW system. A fully
developed system would process data from an array of sensors
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. 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."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Department of Finance states
that this bill will result in additional General Fund costs that
are not included in the Administration's current fiscal plan.
MW:d 9/12/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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