Grant to Pay for New Fault Study

A $9.4-million grant to map hidden thrust faults underlying Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties over the next 2 1/2 years has been made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the California State Division of Mines and Geology.

In disclosing the grant, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said the U.S. Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center at USC would work as technical advisers on the project.

Two important recent earthquakes--the 1987 Whittier Narrow and the 1994 Northridge--have occurred on thrust faults that do not come to the surface, and scientists believe dozens of other such faults may exist.

The state will be required under terms of the grant to contribute 25%, or $3.1 million, to the $12.4-million project, Boxer said. The information gathered in the mapping will be used to identify areas that may be subject to ground failures.