Does the SMGB Deal with Earthquakes?
Yes, through the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act. Under the Alquist-Priolo Act, the board is authorized to represent the state’s interests in establishing professional guidelines and standards for geological and geophysical investigations and reports produced by the California Geological Survey, public sector agencies, and private practitioners. The board also is authorized to develop specific criteria through regulations that shall be used by affected lead agencies in complying with the provisions of the Act so as to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. This Act (Public Resources Code, Chapter 7.5, Section 2621 through Section 2630) is intended to provide policies and criteria to assist cities, counties and state agencies in the exercise of their responsibilities to prohibit the location of developments and structures for human occupancy across the trace of active faults as defined by the board. Further, it is the intent
