Western Senators: Don’t Cut Tsunami Early Warning System
NOAA program is critical for evacuations and emergency preparations during West Coast tidal surge
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to reject proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tsunami program in the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bill.
“Millions of our constituents face a significant threat from tidal surges. These events – which are often triggered by frequent seismic activity along the Ring of Fire – can devastate coastal communities and economies,” the Senators wrote. “NOAA early warning systems provide critical information to residents and emergency managers so that evacuations and emergency preparations can begin promptly. Cutting funds for tsunami early warning systems jeopardizes the safety and economic stability of communities in our states.”
“More than 300,000 people live in a tsunami danger zone in Washington state,” Cantwell said. “We should not be cutting this critical, life-saving investment in tsunami detection and warning technology that helps protect our coastal communities. That’s why I’m calling on Congressional leaders to make sure we have the best tsunami detection technology in place to save lives and property.”
In Seattle on March 10, 2012, the eve of the one-year anniversary of the devastating Japanese tsunami, Cantwell called for continued investment in life-saving tsunami detection and warning technology that helps protect Washington state’s coastal communities. Speaking from the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in Seattle, which developed the high-tech tsunami detection buoys now deployed around the world, Cantwell highlighted the progress that has been made in protecting communities and coastal economies from tsunamis. For more information, click here.
The high-tech tsunami detection buoys, called DART (deep-ocean assessment and reporting tsunamis) buoys, are an integral part of the Pacific Ocean’s tsunami detection and warning system, providing instant details about whether a tsunami exists and its path, which equips officials with the data they need to issue immediate life-saving warnings to at-risk communities. Cantwell fought to pass tsunami preparedness legislation in 2006 that provided Washington state with support to improve tsunami evacuation routes, update inundation maps, and increase the number of DART warning buoys worldwide from just 6 to 39. However, 10 of the 39 DART buoys are currently not operational, including one just off the mouth of the Columbia River.
Tsunamis generated by powerful distant earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean or local quakes caused by an offshore fault called the Cascadia subduction zone are an ever-present threat to Washington state. The 680-mile long Cascadia subduction zone lies off the coasts of Washington and Oregon and is similar in size and geologic character to the fault responsible for the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Like last year’s Japanese tsunami, a Cascadia or Puget Sound generated tsunami would allow for only 20 to 30 minutes of warning before it comes ashore.
The full text of the letter follows (PDF here):
March 13, 2012
The Honorable Daniel Inouye The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman Ranking Member
Appropriations Committee Appropriations Committee
U.S. Senate U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Barbara Mikulski The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Chairman Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice,
Science and Related Agencies Science and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations
U.S. Senate U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:
We write to express our opposition to the proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tsunami program and to urge you to reject these cuts in the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bill.
Millions of our constituents face a significant threat from tidal surges. These events—which are often triggered by frequent seismic activity along the Ring of Fire—can devastate coastal communities and economies. For instance, following the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan, a tsunami wave surge caused tens of millions of dollars of damage and resulted in federal disaster declarations in California, Oregon and Hawaii. Washington and Alaska residents are also at high risk of tsunami as following ruptures of the Cascadia and Denali faults.
NOAA early warning systems provide critical information to residents and emergency managers so that evacuations and emergency preparations can begin promptly. Last March, these early warnings provided first responders with adequate time to reinforce seawalls, sandbag low-lying areas and take other precautionary measures—these measures were effective at minimizing the loss of life and property during this catastrophic event. A similar system in Japan provided residents with a few moments notice before the inundation, and is credited with saving thousands of lives. Cutting funds for tsunami early warning systems jeopardize the safety and economic stability of communities in our states, so we ask that you maintain funding for NOAA’s tsunami program at Fiscal Year 2012 levels.
We thank you for your consideration of our request and hope that you will keep it in mind as you proceed with the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations process. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Dianne Feinstein
Jeff Merkley
Barbara Boxer
Daniel Akaka
Ron Wyden
Maria Cantwell
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