Oregon Earthquake Awareness / the Quake Northwest P.O
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Page 1 of 2 From: James Bela <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 1:10 PM To: Mikkelson Carla Cc: sherrypat; James Bela Subject: Sen Comm on Veterans & Emergency Preparedness 03212013 Public Hearing: SB 813 Attachments: POLICY ISSUES OR RESILIENCE PLAN.pdf; POLICY ISSUES OR RESILIENCE PLAN_II.pdf; POLICY ISSUES OR RESILIENCE PLANIIa.pdf; MAGNITUDE 9.11 EMERGENCY!.pdf; Gov John Kitzhaber Letter_03082013_lh.pdf; Oregon Resilience Plan Work Group Meeting Notices 08132012 001.pdf; Letter to Hardy Myers 4212000 (2).pdf; FEMA 154_JCEP 05222007 (1).pdf; Governor Kulongoski Letter 01192006 1.pdf; Kitzhaber Showcase State 0113 2003.pdf; ICC Copyright Request 01232003.pdf; Letter to Cory Streissinger DCBS 5122004.pdf “People count up the faults of those who keep them waiting” - French proverb TO: Senate Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness FROM: James Bela President and Founder of Oregon Earthquake Awareness / The Quake Northwest P.O. Box 33464, Portland, OR 97292 -3464 [email protected] THURSDAY Date: March 21, 2015 Time: 1:00 P.M. Room HR B Re: SB 813 - Public Hearing Transfers responsibility for seismic rehabilitation grant program from Director of Office of Emergency Management to Oregon Department of Administrative Services See attachments: POLICY ISSUES - OR RESILIENCE PLAN.pdf POLICY ISSUES - OR RESILIENCE PLAN_II.pdf POLICY ISSUES - OR RESILIENCE PLANIIa.pdf file:///I:/2013%20Session/Committees/S%20Veterans%20&%20Emergency%20Preparedn ... 3/ 20/ 2013 Page 2 of 2 MAGNITUDE 9.11 EMERGENCY.pdf Gov. John Kitzhaber Letter_03-08-2013_lh.pdf Oregon Resilience Plan Work Group Meeting Notices 08-13-2012 001.pdf Letter to Hardy Myers 4-21-2000 (2).pdf FEMA 154_JCEP 05-22-2007 (1).pdf Governor Kulongoski Letter 01-19-2006 -1.pdf Kitzhaber Showcase State 01-13-2003.pdf CC Copyright Request 01-23-2003.pdf Letter to Cory Streissinger DCBS 5-12-2004.pdf Oregon Earthquake Awareness™ / The Quake Northwest™ "We Have Nothing to Fear But Shear Itself" / "We're All Subducting In This Together" “It takes everyone getting together in cahoots! – Dennis Mileti "Do not look back in anger, or forward in fear, but around in awareness." -- James Thurber file:///I:/2013%20Session/Committees/S%20Veterans%20&%20Emergency%20Preparedn ... 3/ 20/ 2013 FEMA 154 Rapid-Visual-Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards Purpose - to screen for potential seismic hazards. - to identify buildings that may be hazardous for further evaluation (by a structural engineer . in more detail later) Only a Screening Tool - to identify Buildings for further evaluation - it’s not condemning any buildings - it only says: “You need more evaluation.” The Rapid-Visual-Screening Score is only PASS/FAIL - numerical score can range from negative numbers up to 5 or 6 - score is only used to determine whether additional evaluation is warranted - it doesn’t rank Buildings as being better or worse than others! - it doesn’t condemn any Buildings Most Important Score Modifiers for a School - (1) The Code of the Building’s construction, particularly if the School is of Pre-Seismic-Code construction. - (2) Soil Type. Cost Range for “further evaluation” of a school under ASCE 31:Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings - 4-6 weeks of engineering evaluation; at a cost of $10,000 - $20,000 - 2 weeks additional for “firm numbers” on actual seismic rehabilitation costs James Bela Oregon Earthquake Awareness™ Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Ocean Policy May 22, 2007 3:00 PM HR C Re: DOGAMI Informational Meeting Report on Statewide Seismic Needs Assessment 1 OREGON EARTHQUAKE AWARENESS P.0. BOX 33464, PORTLAND, OREGON 97292-3464 Tel. 503-761-3539 email: [email protected] “WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT SHEAR ITSELF” March 08, 2013 Governor John A. Kitzhaber State Capitol Building 900 Court Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310-0722 Re: Petition for the removal of Kent Yu (Chair) and Jay Wilson (Vice Chair) from the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC) – for persistent and willful behavior against the public good. Dear Governor Kitzhaber, This is formal Petition for the removal of Kent Yu (Chair) and Jay Wilson (Vice Chair) from the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission – for their persistent and deliberately willful behavior against the Public Good. Specifically, these two individuals in particular (with seeming endorsement by the remaining members of their Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission – including two legislators) have deliberately totally ignored the safeguards promised to the public under the Oregon Public Records and Public Meetings Law (ORS Chpt. 192 – Records; Public Reports and Meetings: ORS 192.001 – 192.505 and ORS 192.610 – 192.710 / http://www.doj.state.or.us/public_records/pages/index.aspx) Even The Oregonian, the Portland metropolitan’s largest newspaper, had to invoke the Oregon Public Records Law (through petition to the Attorney General - ORS 192.450) in order to obtain a timely “copy” of said Commission’s draft report: The Oregon Resilience Plan – in fact, a Public Record at all stages of its development and construction; and just released to the Legislature last Feb. 28, 2013! The Oregonian’s published story: Cascadia earthquake, tsunami could cost Oregon economy 32 billion (http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/cascadia_earthquake_and_tsunam.html) appeared in print Monday Feb. 04, 2013, one full day before the Seismic Safety Commission discussed and then formally adopted its Oregon Resilience Plan at a special meeting held in Portland. And while the Public Meetings Law specifically affords the public the right to (a) both be made aware of; and (b) also attend if so desired -- all scheduled Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission meetings (as well as all Advisory Committee and Task Groups) where two or more members are so convened – both of these basic rights and tenets of responsible Oregon government charge were (time-after-time-after-time) deliberately and willfully disregarded. Even “minutes” of all these supposed public meetings (but now subverted as clandestine and secret gatherings) were evidently never taken and recorded – and were certainly never made available to requests by interested parties. This sad state of affairs occurred despite Vice Chair’s Jay Wilson’s promise at the Resilience Planning Kickoff Workshop, Portland, January 26, 2012 -- that “all meetings would be public meetings under the Public Meetings Law.” And also - even the personal assurance and commitment of Brigadier General Mike Caldwell, then directing Oregon Office of Emergency Management (which provides staffing and support to OSSPAC; and which is also administratively under the umbrella of the Oregon Military Department) – was made to me at that kickoff meeting: that the Oregon Public Meetings Law would be followed! While the so-called Oregon Resilience Plan, a 50 year roadmap for feeling less guilty, I suppose, for squandering the past 24 years since the 1989 Loma Prieta (World Series) Earthquake woke everybody up here in the Pacific Northwest that we had, in fact, a real and menacing M 9 earthquake problem from the Cascadia subduction zone; has many valid criticisms and shortcomings – none are more serious than this systemic and fatal weakening of what was heretofore regarded as the Oregon form of government (committed to public involvement): than this willful and deliberate disregard and abandonment of the Oregon Public Records and Public Meetings Law! In closing I remind you that the upgrade in Oregon’s coastal seismic building code (Oct. 1, 1998) to a higher standard (Seismic Zone 4 of the 1997 Uniform Building Code) to protect residents from the long duration shaking of M 9 Cascadia subduction zone events was accomplished by “the public” during your first administration (1994 – 1998); during which time the public was afforded the full opportunities and transparencies of the Oregon Public Records and Public Meetings Law! That one building code change very importantly affected (through greater public safety and improved assurance of emergency operation capability) both the remodeling and expansion of Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay, a recognized leader in cancer treatment technology. Simply stated, this present affront to both that legacy . as well as to future opportunities for meaningful and effective public participation, access and also leadership in addressing forthrightly Oregon’s real earthquake vulnerabilities and deficiencies – well, . it simply must not stand! Respectfully submitted, James Bela James Bela President and Founder. Oregon Earthquake Awareness Oregon Earthquake Awareness™ / The Quake Northwest™ "We Have Nothing to Fear But Shear Itself" / "We're All Subducting In This Together" “It takes everyone getting together in cahoots! – Dennis Mileti "Do not look back in anger, or forward in fear, but around in awareness." -- James Thurber OREGON EARTHQUAKE AWARENESS P.0. BOX 33464, PORTLAND, OREGON 97292-3464 Tel. 503-761-3539 email: [email protected] “WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT SHEAR ITSELF” January 18, 2006 Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski State Capitol Salem, Oregon 97310-0722 Dear Governor Kulongoski: I am writing to articulate some serious concerns about a state agency, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). I believe their ineffective and arrogant actions (which have revolved around securing agency funding) have made Oregonians less safe from natural hazards (particularly earthquakes); than the logical conclusions from the years (and now decades) of scientific research would reasonably dictate. Nowhere is this more clearly evident than in DOGAMI’s usurpation of a truly structural engineering and Building Codes Division expertise – i.e. in the seismic safety of existing buildings. By this action, which they promoted into statute in the 2001 (SB 14, 15) and 2005 (SB 2, 3) legislative sessions; they have continued to ignore and continued to enable the weakening of the earthquake building codes for new construction in our state - by the deliberately neglectful and politically motivated Building Codes Division (which adopts them), under the Department of Business and Consumer Services.