But more can be done.
ABSOLUTELY: Earthquakes pose a significant risk to 75 million Americans in 39 states. The USGS is the only Federal agency with responsibility for recording and reporting earthquake activity nationwide. Citizens, emergency responders and engineers rely on USGS for accurate and timely information on where an earthquake occurred, how much the ground shook in different locations and what is the likelihood of future significant ground shaking. USGS is working to improve its earthquake monitoring and reporting capabilities through the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). In the past three years, USGS has installed about 300 new earthquake- monitoring instruments in the San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Anchorage, Reno, Las Vegas and Memphis areas. Full implementation of the ANSS will result in nearly 7,000 new high-tech instruments in the ground or in buildings. And once in place, the ANSS will provide emergency personnel with near real-time information on the intensity and distribution of ground shaking that can be used to guide emergency response efforts. Similarly, information on building shaking will equip engineers with the data they need to improve building designs in the future.