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Oregon officials are poised to make 2012 a year of statewide earthquake preparedness, although the latest legislative directive does not account for funding.

Last week, more than a hundred people met at Port of Portland headquarters to kick off a yearlong effort to develop a comprehensive, 50-year earthquake and tsunami resiliency plan for Oregon. The project, headed by five members of the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission, seeks to deliver a pre-disaster plan and preliminary policy recommendations to the state Legislature by Feb. 28, 2013.

But when the House passed the resolution that calls for the planning process, no money was attached.

鈥淲e’re required to present a plan in February of next year, but there is no funding for this work 鈥� everything is what we can scrape together through volunteers,鈥� said Althea Rizzo, geologic hazard program coordinator for Oregon Emergency Management.

On April 18, 2011, the Oregon House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 3, sponsored by Rep. Deborah Boone, D-Cannon Beach. It directs the OSSPAC to form a plan to make Oregon resilient to a magnitude 9 Cascadia subduction zone earthquake by 2062.

鈥淲e can agree that we’re not robust right now, but the definitions are still evolving,鈥� Rizzo said. 鈥淏asically what we want are buildings that don’t kill people. We’re looking right now at a whole bunch of killer buildings.鈥�

Eight task forces are in place to look into topics such as transportation, business continuity and energy. Each group will include at least one emergency manager, one engineer, one business representative and others. But goals will depend on the volunteers who ultimately offer their expertise.

鈥淲e don’t expect a finished plan in 2013,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淢y intent is to get it started, and keep engaging people as it becomes clearer who needs to be added to the mix so that we can be as prepared as we can.鈥�

Kent Yu, chairman of the OSSPAC and principal at , has an ambitious timeline in mind in order to achieve a thorough plan by the 2013 deadline. He is confident that the diverse group of people contributing to the effort will lay the groundwork for future policy.

鈥淚’m really excited because from day one, everybody wanted to see this turning into something historical and make a difference in our community,鈥� he said.

The language of H.R. 3 is ambitious, directing the group to 鈥減rotect lives and keep commerce flowing during and after a Cascadia (megathrust) earthquake and tsunami.鈥�

The first workshop drew people from a variety of professionals, including engineers, professors, architects, city staffers and people working for regional utilities. Together, they hope to develop the most coordinated, statewide resiliency plan in Oregon history.

鈥淩ight now there is no continuity between agencies 鈥� they all have plans, but they’re in silos,鈥� said Susan Steward, executive director of the Portland Building Owners and Managers Association. 鈥淚f the big event happens, you’re on your own. Building owners will get you out of the building, but they aren’t required to take care of you.鈥�

Steward is leading the business continuity task force. She hopes to call attention to the lack of preparedness among businesses with offices in Portland.

鈥淎 big shot attorney firm may have three floors downtown, but do they have a shelter plan for their employees or a plan to get their computer records (after an earthquake)?鈥� Steward said. 鈥淥ur piece of the process doesn’t require a ton of funding; it’s more about raising awareness.鈥�

And raising awareness may be the key to ultimately raising money, according to Yu.

鈥淚 firmly believe a public-private partnership is the only way to implement these plans 鈥� the government can’t take on such a financial responsibility, but they can engage the community,鈥� he said.

As an example, Yu cited successful public outreach conducted by the East Bay Municipal Utility District in California. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, EBMUD evaluated the seismic vulnerability of its water-treatment plants, reservoirs, buildings, pipelines and other facilities. Then it held nearly 100 public presentations.

Major community support helped lead to approval of a $189 million capital improvement program in 1994, which has paid for seismic upgrades for 21 reservoirs.

鈥淥nce the community sees the benefits these upgrades will bring to them, they can decide whether it’s a wise investment or not,鈥� Yu said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, we have a progressive community in Oregon and I’m absolutely confident we’ll be a resilient state in 50 years.鈥�