K–12, Public Safety | Spotlight | On Shaky Ground

A state geologist tips off California Watch reporter Corey G. Johnson to a controversy over state maps outlining seismic hazard zones. An initial effort by the California Geological Survey to identify these zones faced pressure from property owners, local government officials and real estate agents who were worried about declining property values. Under this pressure, the state shrank some of the zones. But did changing the maps change the danger?