Comment on “Earthquake Hazard Maps and Objective Testing: The Hazard Mapper's Point of View ” by Mark W. Stirling by Jens-Uwe Klügel In his opinion paper “Earthquake Hazard Maps and Objective

makes the claim that probabilistic seismic hazard (PSH) maps “are tools developed to provide estimates of hazard for long return periods (e.g., hundreds to thousands of years)” (p. 231). He is referring to the applications of PSH models for nuclear facilities and hydro dam developments as successful examples of the probabilistic method. Stirling is recommending PSH applications such as the Yucca Mountain seismic project also for other areas. Despite Stirling’s opinion, PSH maps in use today ob-viously should not be used for reasons noted here. Because such maps provide the basis for national seismic building codes in many countries, it is instructive to comment on such opinions from the perspective of a risk-analysis professional and a con-tributor to the current International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety guide for seismic hazard analysis (IAEA, 2010)