1. The department shall furnish to the state emergency management agency technical data, including soil liquefaction and seismic effects, on structural foundations that are located in a high seismic risk area. If requested by a local government entity the department shall assist such local government in the establishment of construction standards based on the data provided in this subsection.

2. The department shall be designated as the lead technical agency in the state to conduct studies concerning the geologic effects of earthquakes, which shall include, but not be limited to, prediction of earthquake recurrence intervals and severity, tectonic and structural geologic studies, paleoseismic studies, geodetic surveys, and geomorphological studies.