WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Geological Survey says it will award up to $7 million in grants and cooperative agreements for earthquake research next year.
The USGS said the awards, for which applications are due May 13, are given annually to approximately 90 research projects proposed by universities, state geological surveys and private institutions.
Key projects include cataloging earthquakes in Southern California; better preparing emergency responders, the public and the media about earthquakes; providing seismic hazard estimates so communities and critical institutions can engineer their buildings and roads to be structurally sound; and providing data on ground shaking to help minimize damage.
"We encourage research proposals focused on the geographical areas in the United States that are most at risk from earthquakes, on earthquake physics, earthquake effects and nationally applicable earthquake hazards issues," said Elizabeth Lemersal, external research support manager for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
Applicants can obtain information at http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=hL7yJH7Qz0X3jPF8stJrPxQzcZscSx3CWv0n5T2vWn8JRsHJLKG1!492643356?oppId=45983&flag2006=false&mode=VIEW
