33 U.S.C. § 3202 — Purposes

The purposes of this chapter are— (1) to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, research, notification, outreach, and mitigation to protect life and property in the United States; (2) to enhance and modernize the existing United States Tsunami Warning System to increase the accuracy of forecasts and warnings, to ensure full coverage of tsunami threats to the United States with a network of detection assets, and to reduce false alarms; (3) to improve and develop standards and guidelines for mapping, modeling, and assessment efforts to improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, notification, mitigation, resiliency, response, outreach, and recovery; (4) to improve research efforts related to improving tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, notification, mitigation, resiliency, response, outreach, and recovery; (5) to improve, increase, and develop uniform standards and guidelines for education and outreach activities and ensure that those receiving tsunami warnings and the at-risk public know what to do when a tsunami is approaching, including the warning signs of locally generated tsunami; (6) to provide technical and other assistance to speed international efforts to establish regional tsunami warning systems in vulnerable areas worldwide; (7) to foster resilient communities in the face of tsunami and other similar coastal hazards; and (8) to improve Federal, State, and international coordination for detection, warnings, and outreach for tsunami and other coastal impacts.