Earthquake Research Act

Earthquake Research Act - Declares that certain regions within the United States are subject to a high risk of destructive earthquake potential; that a significant part of the population of the United States lives within serious danger; that scientist in other countries have issued earthquake warnings; that Russian and Chinese scientists have begun systematic studies of premonitory earthquake phenomena; and that the need for international transfer of pertinent scientific research capability in the United States is sufficiently advanced that an earthquake prediction competence may be achieved with an earthquake research program.

Declares it is the purpose of the Act to establish a specific program of research and development in the United States to provide for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of seismic and related data, and to provide supporting field, laboratory, and theoretical studies leading to the goal of predicting earthquakes within the United States.

Designates regions of "high seismic risk" for purposes of this Act as areas written Alaska, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California; in Missouri, Illinois, West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and South Carolina; and in the States of New York, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Establishes and Earthquake Research Board to set guidelines for the distribution of research effort and funding; and to insure that the spirit of the guidelines and useful directed research are being accomplished, and that research results are reported to the Congress in a timely manner.

Authorizes the Earthquake Research Board to select appropriate public or private entities and organizations to conduct a program to predict earthquakes.

Directs the Board to insure that not more than one-half of the funding provided by this Act is distributed to a single agency or organization, and that approximately one-quarter of the funding be distributed to a university research group.

Authorizes the Earthquake Research Board to establish a program to review and assess the current state of knowledge on earthquake prediction and earthquake warning systems.

Holds the Board responsible for dissemination of the results of the research efforts of high seismic risk areas for the occurence of earthquakes.

Authorizes the Board to enter into contracts, agreements, or arrangements with the National Academy of Science, public entities, and organizations, and private entities or organizations to provide scientific advisory services under the purposes of this Act.

Directs the Earthquake Research Board to name information available to the President, the Congress, Governors of States in high seismic risk, and others concerning government and private organizations.

Authorizes $15,000,000 to be appropriated for the fiscal year 1973 and $12,000,000 for each of the next six fiscal years to carry out the earthquakes research program established under this Act.

Authorizes $400,000 to be appropriated for the fiscal year 1973 and for each of the next following six fiscal years for the purpose of reviewing such earthquake research.