Improvements to National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

(a) Program activities Subsection (a)(2) of section 5 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7704) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (B)— (A) in the matter before clause (i)— (i) by striking and local and inserting, local, and Tribal; and (ii) by striking and constructing and inserting, designing, constructing, evaluating, and retrofitting; (B) by amending clause (ii) to read as follows: (ii) development of standards, guidelines, and voluntary standards, guidelines, and consensus codes for earthquake hazards reduction for buildings, structures, and lifeline infrastructure, including post-earthquake recovery-based performance objectives that address reoccupancy and downtime of community-prioritized buildings, structures, and services provided by lifeline infrastructure;; (C) in clause (iii), by striking and hazards reduction; and and inserting functional recovery, and other hazards reduction topics;; (D) in clause (iv)— (i) by inserting and maintaining after publishing; (ii) by inserting in coordination with the National Tsunami Hazards Mitigation Program, tsunami susceptibility, after liquefaction susceptibility,; and (iii) by striking; and and inserting a semicolon; and (E) by adding at the end the following: (v) subject to the availability of funds, development of best practices and guidelines to create an inventory of and conduct seismic performance evaluations of buildings, structures, and lifeline infrastructure with high seismic risk, especially those that are critical to community resilience; and (vi) subject to the availability of funds, the provision of technical assistance upon request by a State, local, or Tribal government regarding— (I) the creation of an inventory of buildings, structures, and lifeline infrastructure; (II) the performance of seismic performance evaluations; and (III) cost-effective best practices for retrofitting existing buildings, structures, and lifeline infrastructure.; (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking; and and inserting a semicolon; (3) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) improve the understanding of— (i) the multiple hazards associated with earthquakes, including liquefaction, tsunamis, landslides, structural fires, and the compounding effects of climate on these hazards; and (ii) potential mitigation measures for such hazards; and. (b) Duties of Interagency Coordinating Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction Subsection (a)(3)(D)(ii) of such section is amended— (1) in subclause (V), by inserting and associated secondary hazards before the period at the end; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (VIII) Coordinating with the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission on the timely broadcasting of emergency alerts generated by the earthquake early warning system.. (c) Biennial report Subsection (a)(4)(A) of such section is amended by striking under paragraph (3)(D)(i)(I) each place it appears and inserting under paragraph (3)(D)(ii)(I). (d) Advisory committee Subsection (a)(5)(A) of such section is amended— (1) by inserting the Chair of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee and after including; (2) by striking and local government and inserting, local, and Tribal governments; and (3) by inserting social, after scientific,. (e) Lead agency for responsibilities of Program agencies Subsection (b)(1) of such section is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)— (A) by striking and local and inserting local, and Tribal governments; and (B) by striking plan and constructing and inserting planning, designing, constructing, evaluating, and retrofitting; (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: (C) improve the understanding of earthquake-caused fires and support the development of engineering tools and construction methods that mitigate the risk of fire following earthquakes; (D) develop, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, best practices and guidelines for a State, local, or Tribal government to create an inventory of buildings, structures, or lifeline infrastructure that are critical to community resilience or otherwise have high seismic risk; (E) provide, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, technical assistance to a State, local, or Tribal government requesting such assistance with respect to the creation of an inventory of buildings, structures, or lifeline infrastructure;. (f) Responsibilities of Federal Emergency Management Agency Subsection (b)(2) of such section is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)— (A) in clause (i)— (i) by inserting and Tribal governments after States; (ii) by inserting and performance evaluations after safety inspections; and (iii) by inserting and improve post-earthquake functional recovery after seismic safety; (B) in clause (ii), by inserting, including Tribal entities, after appropriate audiences; (C) in clause (iii)— (i) by striking of seismic resistant and inserting to all appropriate audiences, including Tribal governments, of; and (ii) by inserting that enhance seismic safety, improve post-earthquake functional recovery, and reduce losses from earthquakes after and lifeline infrastructure; (D) in clause (iv)— (i) in striking and local and inserting, local, and Tribal; and (ii) by striking; and and inserting a semicolon; (E) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (vi); and (F) by inserting after clause (iv) the following: (v) shall provide technical assistance to State, local, or Tribal governmental entities in the creation of evacuation plans in the event of an earthquake, landslide, tsunami, or other earthquake-related hazard; and; and (2) in subparagraph (B)— (A) in the subparagraph heading, by inserting and Tribal after State; (B) in the matter before clause (i), by inserting or Tribal government after State; and (C) in clause (i), by striking safety and inserting performance, community resilience, or public awareness. (g) Responsibilities of United States Geological Survey Subsection (b)(3) of such section is amended— (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking and local and inserting, local, and Tribal; (2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, after Agency; (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (K) as subparagraphs (L) through (Q), respectively; (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) coordinate with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on data sharing and resource allocation to support a timely response to oceanic earthquakes and tsunamis; (E) in consultation with the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, ensure that earthquake alerts and early warnings are broadcast as rapidly and reliably as possible, in the predominant languages in the affected region, to ensure maximum warning time for nearby persons; (F) expand the earthquake early warning system within and to additional high risk hazard areas, including making improvements as practicable to improve detection and increase the time between warning messages and perceptible ground motion; (G) coordinating with affected State and Tribal governments on earthquake early warning system improvements; (H) issue earthquake forecasts, when appropriate, for aftershocks associated with significant earthquakes in the United States;; (5) in subparagraph (I), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by inserting the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, after Agency,; (6) in subparagraph (L), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by striking; and and inserting a semicolon; (7) in subparagraph (M), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (8) in subparagraph (O), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by inserting maps of natural hazards associated with earthquakes and. (h) Responsibilities of National Science Foundation Subsection (b)(4)(A) of such section is amended— (1) in clause (iii), by inserting including updated tsunami and liquefaction risk maps,; and (2) in clause (vii), by striking Historically Black Colleges and Universities and those serving large proportions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and other underrepresented populations and inserting institutions described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).