Act 247 of 1989

"AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A STATE EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
WITHIN THE ARKANSAS OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES "

PURPOSE: It is hereby found and determined by the General Assembly that: there exists a history of violent seismic activity within the Central United States Seismic Zone which includes the New Madrid Fault being at or about Marked Tree, Arkansas, and extends northeast into Missouri and Tennessee; that a recurrence of the 1811 - 1812 earthquake swarm, whereby 55 of the 2,010 earthquakes occurring during a three month period that had surface wave magnitudes of 6.0 - 8.7 (Richter) estimated to have affected in excess of 800,000 square miles, is again possible; that it is essential for the protection of life and limb of the citizens of this State, and particularly those approximately 650,000 citizens on and in close proximity of the fault, that a program be initiated to provide for continuous mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery capability for violent seismic activity. Therefore, it is the purpose and intent of this Act to initiate a program to deal with this matter and to charge the Office of Emergency Services, Earthquake Preparedness Program, with the responsibility of carrying out the program requiring the full cooperation of all other state and local government agencies, departments and personnel and requiring that all earthquake mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery related functions of Arkansas be coordinated to the maximum extent with comparable functions of the Federal government including its various departments and agencies with other states and localities, and with private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective earthquake mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities may be accomplished.

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