Oregon Governor Seeks to Reduce Quake Watchers in Proposed Budget

Gov. Kate Brown has proposed slashing the budget of the agency responsible for monitoring the state's natural hazards, including the Cascadia subduction zone prone to earthquake.

The governor's budget eliminates the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, subsuming it under two other agencies, a move that would eliminate 21 of 39 positions over the next two years.

KPTV first reported last month on the proposed cuts. Since then, as Oregon Public Broadcasting reported, the proposal received a blistering appraisal in the Oregon Legislature.

The governor's office defended the cuts, saying Brown recognizes the importance of the agency. "These transitions will help achieve cost savings through the elimination of administrative and management positions, while preserving subject matter expertise," says Brown's spokesperson Liz Merah.