March 21, 2001

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/ or email
Robert Lowery with questions.

Editor's Note:
View the Earthquake Hearing archieved at C-Span.

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- "I believe it is appropriate for us to look at this Nisqually earthquake as a quiz, but not the final exam."

Those were among the opening comments today (MARCH 21) made by U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-Vancouver) during a U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Research hearing titled "Life in the Subduction Zone: The Recent Nisqually Quake and Federal Efforts to Reduce Earthquake Hazards."

The February 28, 6.8 magnitude quake, centered 11 miles northeast of Olympia, caused an estimated $2 billion in damage along with 410 injuries.

"We learned that the earthquake-mitigation measures implemented in our area were extremely effective," Baird said, "both the infrastructure hardening and also emergency services personnel preparation. But, we still have much to learn and we need to use this opportunity to listen to recommendations from experts in the field."

Among the experts invited to testify at today's Capitol Hill hearing was Dr. Meghan Miller, a Central Washington University geological sciences professor, who discussed the Pacific Northwest Geodetic Array (PANGA), through which highly accurate Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring receivers are used to study earthquakes.

The Nisqually quake was the first time scientists used GPS receivers to study an earthquake in the Pacific Northwest. Through PANGA, Miller determined that the entire western and central portions of Washington state moved during the temblor.

"GPS geodesy is one example of a powerful new technology that can help us map the likely distribution, size and frequency of shallow earthquakes," Miller testified. "It's become a widespread tool in the scientific community and a critical piece of our national research efforts during the last decade."

Miller also said there is a spin-off benefit to today's research for tomorrow's researchers.

"We have a research program (at CWU) that is very student centered and engages students in the kinds of projects that we're talking about today," she added, "that have been very successful in strengthening the paradigm of how we teach science at the higher education level."

Representatives of the National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Washington Department of Natural Resources joined Miller in providing congressional testimony.

USGS projects 79 million residents in urban and non-urban areas of 39 U.S. states are at serious earthquake risk. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates annual loses due to earthquakes in the U.S. at $4.4 billion.

"Seattle may have dodged a bullet with its recent quake," U.S. Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.), subcommittee chair, said, "but we need to be well equipped and well prepared for the next shot, wherever it may occur."