Murkowski Applauds USGS Funding to Improve Earthquake Monitoring and Response in Alaska
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently announced an award of $2.85 million to the Alaska Earthquake Center at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks to support operations of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), including stations received from the National Science Foundation USArray. When an earthquake strikes, the ANSS – a collaboration between regional, state, and academic institutes and the USGS – works to collect and analyze real-time data, and distribute information to the local government, emergency responders, media, and the public.
Year-after-year, in her role as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has secured funding to support the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
“For Alaskans, earthquakes are a part of life. But the destruction caused by the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that took place in Alaska in November of 2018 was a stark reminder that our efforts to improve earthquake research, monitoring, and real-time date is imperative. This funding will play a critical role in supporting ANSS and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in their efforts to reduce the impacts of earthquakes in Alaska as well as to keep the public informed and prepared in the face of disaster,” said Senator Murkowski. “In my role as Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I’ve worked hard to secure funding to support efforts to help develop and enhance earthquake monitoring capabilities, including the purchase of seismic monitors that are part of the USArray. I’m proud to have played a role in securing funding which helped make this announcement possible and thank the USGS for prioritizing the needs of Alaskans.”
