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Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek issued an executive order Monday directing an administrative agency to develop a plan to ensure new state government buildings meet strong seismic safety standards.

Kotek directed the Department of Administrative Services to come up with the plan for buildings with more than 10,000 square feet of space.

鈥淲hen a devastating earthquake hits Oregon, we need to be able to show up for Oregonians,鈥� Kotek stated in a news release. 鈥淪tate employees are the backbone of emergency response, and they need safe places as they help families and communities recover. We cannot waver from this responsibility.鈥�

Oregon faces significant risk of a major Cascadian subduction zone earthquake, according to scientists and government officials.

鈥淥regon is setting an example for how to start building resiliency to large earthquakes,鈥� stated Chris Goldfinger, a seismologist and Oregon State University professor emeritus. A magnitude 8-9 earthquake is 鈥渋nevitable, and seismically sound state buildings will be crucial. This is the kind of proactive action Oregon needs.鈥�

The state government has made progress on seismic resiliency in the past few years, including by building a State Treasury headquarters that has seismic base isolators.

The executive order prioritizes seismic improvements to buildings identified in state continuity of operations plans, office buildings with more than 50,000 square feet, structures supporting first responders, institutional housing and strategic regional locations. Administrative Services聽will develop standards and implementation plans under the statewide facilities planning process.