FEMA announced they are funding a consortium led by AZGS to acquire 8 or so of the EarthScope USArray seismic stations currently deployed in Arizona [right, seismic stations and earthquakes detected by the USArray], to be used for a state-wide seismic hazard analysis. All three state universities, UA, ASU, and NAU, are partners in the project.
FEMA is putting up about $493,000 with another $172,000 in matching funds from the universities and AZGS. The FEMA grant is through the Arizona Division of Emergency Management and is considered precedent-setting by the seismology community.
The USArray stations are temporarily in Arizona for about 2 years before they will be moved east as part of a rolling deployment that will provide nationwide coverage over a 10-year period. The first USArray stations are scheduled to be pulled out of Arizona starting this October. Mimi Diaz (AZGS), Matt Fouch (ASU), David Brumbaugh (NAU), and Susan Beck (UA) are evaluating the 58 existing stations to select the highest quality and most strategically located stations to become permanent.
Other western states had begun buying or replacing USArray stations to enhance their existing networks, but this is the first time that FEMA has put up funds to acquire stations. EarthScope and other states have been following the Arizona approach closely to see if it might be emulated elsewhere.