Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC)

After the Loma Prieta Earthquake in the Bay Area of California in 1989, Oregon residents wanted State government to address earthquake hazards and preparedness of the state. As a result, the Interagency Seismic Task Force recommended that a new state commission be formed in response to this need.

The Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC), also known as the Earthquake Commission, is tasked with promoting earthquake awareness and preparedness in Oregon. The mission of OSSPAC is to positively influence decisions and policies regarding pre-disaster mitigation of earthquake and tsunami hazards, increase public understanding of earthquake hazard, risk, exposure, and vulnerability through education, and be responsive to the new studies and/or issues raised around earthquakes and tsunamis.

The Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC) was formed as a result of Senate Bill 96 in 1991. Since this time, OSSPAC has continued to increase Oregon’s awareness to earthquake hazards by supporting earthquake education, research and legislation. Every two years, OSSPAC provides a summary report to the Governor of the Commission's activities. OSSPAC has formed relationships with the Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) and the California Seismic Safety Commission which provides a persuasive advantage to affect federal policy for the West Coast.

MEETINGS

OSSPAC meets bi-monthly (usually on the second Tuesday)

SCHEDULE

January 10, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
March 14, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
May 9, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
July 11, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
September 12, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
November 14, 2023, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

LOCATION

In-Person

Oregon State Treasury

867 Hawthorne Avenue SE

Salem, OR 97301

Virtual

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89539117040?pwd=b0svZDVjL2RYeHBaZkFnUUxHdVk4UT09

You can also dial in using your phone: 1-253-215-8782

Meeting ID: 895 3911 7040

Passcode: 997027

MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION

The Commission is made up of 18 individuals who represent a variety of interests concerned with forming public policy regarding earthquakes and includes six government representatives, six representatives of the public interest, and six representatives of industries and stakeholders. This variety of commission members helps direct the goals of the Commission for the benefit of all Oregon citizens.

CHAIR: Tiffany Brown - Local Government Stakeholder, Email: chair.osspac@oem.oregon.gov
VICE CHAIR: Trent Nagele, Structural Engineer Stakeholder
Matt Crall - Department of Land Conservation & Development
David Gomberg - Representative Legislative Assembly
Dick Anderson - Representative Legislative Assembly
Lesley Ogden - First Responder Stakeholder
Joe Karney - Utilities Stakeholder
Christina LeClerc - Oregon Department of Transportation
Bonnie Magura - Schools Stakeholder
Adam Pushkas - Building Owners Stakeholder
Althea Rizzo - Oregon Department of Emergency Management
Jonathan Allan - Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
Carolina Gomez - Multifamily Housing Stakeholder
Susan Romanski - Public Member
Elizabeth Safran - Public Member
Vacant - Public Member
Vacant - Banking Stakeholder
Vacant - Building Codes

COMMMISSION REPORTS

LETTERS & POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

PRESENTATIONS AND TESTIMONY

Demaris, Jenny. January 2023. Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council (EPAC)
Winningham, Patence. January 2023. Local Government Emergency Management Advisory Council (LGEMAC)
Kortenhof, Mike. November 2022. Earthquake Resilience and Portland Harbor
Medora, Dahnesh and Nikka Tahan. November 2022. Preparing Oregon's Communities of Color for Disasters
Brooks, Amy. September 2022. OSU Cascadian Lifeline Program (CLIP)
Ruggiero, Peter. September 2022. Cascadia Co-Pes Hub
Demaris, Jenny. July 2022. Cascadia Rising: Lincoln County Exercise Planning & Events Overview
Safran, Liz. July 2022. Resilience Highlights from Japan 2022
Smith, Scott. July 2022. Cascadia Rising: Overview of CEI Hub and CSZ Earthquake
Hiser, Nancy and Shawn Looney. May 2022. Linnton Neighborhood Association: Emergency Preparedness
Robinhold, Curtis. May 2022. CEI Hub Stalemate and Its Oddities (letter)
Harryman, Mike. January 2022. Oregon's Transportation Regional Resiliency Assessment (RRAP)
LeClerc, Christina. January 2022. ODOT Strategic Plan and Earthquake Planning
Flick, Ed. November 2021. ODHS Presentation to OSSPAC
Frankel, Art. July 2020. Recurrence Models for Cascadia M8-9 Earthquakes Used in National Seismic Hazard Maps and ASCE 7-16 Tsunami Inundation Maps
Thio, Hong Kie. July 2020. Development of Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Maps for ASCE 7-16
Maffei, Janiele. May 2020. FEMA P-50 and Quakegrade
Reis, Evan. May 2020. Comparative Study of PEER-CEA Woodframe Project Results with Catastrophe Loss Models
Blaney, Colin. March 2020. FEMA P-1100 Vulnerability-Based Assessment and Retrofit of One and Two-Family Dwellings
Chock, Gary. September 2019. ASCE 7-16 Chapter 6, Tsunami Loads and Effects
Chock, Gary. September 2019. Basis for the Tsunami Hazard Criteria in ASCE 7
Cox, Dan. September 2019. Adoption of ASCE 7-16 Chapter 6 Tsunami Loads and Effects in Oregon
Cox, Dan. September 2019. ASCE 7-16 Chapter 6 Tsunami Loads and Effects and Frequently Asked Questions
Goldfinger, Chris. September 2019. Tsunami Safety - Engineering Formulae vs Land-Use Planning
Robinson, Steve. September 2019. Lifeline Resilience Teams Overview
Rubin, Jeff. September 2019. ORP Implementation and HB3309
Thomas, Seth. September 2019. ASCE 7-16 Tsunami Provisions - Engineering Design
City of Portland. January 2019. Fossil Fuel Terminal Zoning
Ellis, Barnes. January 2019. Big Steps Before the Big One
Henry, Deanna. January 2019. Oregon Fuel Action Plan
Koho, Lori. January 2019. Utility Safety, Reliability and Security Division Regulation of Facilities in the CEI Hub
Papaefthimiou, Jonna. January 2019. City of Portland and Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub
Sen. Courtney, Peter. June 2010. Letter to Western States Seismic Policy Council

MEETING MINUTES

AGENDAS

OTHER RESOURCES

Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC)
Oregon HazVu Enter an address to see what hazards might affect you.
PNSN (Pacific Northwest Seismic Network) Provides accurate and fast information about earthquakes and ground motions to scientists, engineers, planners, and the public.
ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System for the West Coast.
"Unprepared" Series OPB’s ongoing news series about the Cascadia megaquake.
"Aftershock" OPB application predicts the impacts of a Cascadia megaquake based on your location in Oregon.
"Insure Against Earthquakes" Videos created by CREW in English and Spanish.
COPE (Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub) Helping PNW coastal communities prepare and adapt through research and community engagement.
CREW (Cascadia Region Work Group) Coalition of private, public, and academic partners working together to reduce the effects of earthquakes and related hazards, including tsunami.
CCC (Cascadia Coastal Coalition) Non-profit organization promoting resilience on the coast with sponsored speaker series.
CLIP (Cascadia Lifelines Program) OSU Research Hub supporting Oregon’s utility and transportation (lifeline) providers.
Cascadia 9 Game Online video game by developed by Lewis & Clark College to better understand disaster preparedness.