Association of American State Geologists
LOG-IN

Committees

Select

Geologic Hazards and Policy

Members
    Mission

    Gather, analyze, and report on the proposals, findings, and activities of Federal and state agencies whose purpose it is to identify and mitigate geologic hazards to the public and the environment.

    Responsibilities

    Areas of responsibility include federal legislation, regulations, and initiatives relating to energy resources and in certain instances key state or international legislation, regulations, and initiatives relating to energy resources.

    • Federal and State
      • Maintain contacts with National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) agencies (FEMA, USGS, NSF, and NIST) and other Federal and state agencies designed to identify earth hazards and to reduce the impact of those hazards on the public and the environment. These Federal agencies should be high on the list of those visited by Committee members during AASG’s spring and fall liaison meetings.
    • AASG
      • Report to the Association any new initiatives or significant activities relating to Federal and state agencies’ geologic hazard policies in a timely fashion. State Geologists should report to this Committee new geologic hazard policy developments (practices, legislation, other) within their respective states.
    • Communication
      • Generate contacts with the nation’s various earthquake consortia and identify and collate earthquake issues of regional and national importance for presentation to AASG. For example, the development of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), regional seismic networks, tsunami warning systems and inundation mapping, and development of event response plans.
    Goals
    • Federal and State
      • Develop a Memorandum of Understanding between the FEMA and AASG that recognizes and coordinates the roles, responsibilities, attributes and functions of FEMA and the various State Geological Surveys in terms of preparation, response, and recovery from natural geologic hazards.
    • AASG
      • Develop a Position Statement for adoption by AASG regarding the economic and infrastructure losses to the public and the environment caused by geologic hazards, and how geologic mapping products can effectively contribute to reducing those losses.
    • Communication
      • Develop a Memorandum of Understanding between the AASG and the nation’s various earthquake consortia that provides for the AASG to present unified, national earthquake issues to NEHRP agencies.
    Membership Rules

    Members are appointed by the AASG President. The Chair will be a sitting State Geologist, appointed by the AASG President. The AASG President may appoint an Honorary Member to co-chair the Committee. The chair may create subcommittees to act on specific tasks.