Members Of Congress From Western U.S. Request Full Funding Of Quake Warning System
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three dozen members of Congress from California, Oregon and Washington are urging full funding of a West Coast earthquake early warning system.
The group on Tuesday sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee asking that the U.S. Geological Survey receive $16.1 million to make a demonstration system fully operational.
The sum is the estimated annual cost of building, operating and maintaining a full system of sensors that detect initial waves of an earthquake and provide valuable seconds of warning before slower but damaging waves arrive.
Last year, Congress voted to provide $5 million, bringing total system funding to $6.5 million for fiscal 2015.
California Rep. Adam Schiff says warning time could enable trains to brake, allow shutdown of sensitive systems and give people time to reach a safe location.