National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act

Summary: National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act (Sec. 3) This bill directs the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to establish the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System to monitor, issue warnings of, and protect U.S. citizens from undue and avoidable harm from, volcanic activity.  The purposes of the system are to: (1) organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize the monitoring systems of U.S. volcano observatories; and (2) unify such systems into a single interoperative system. The objective of the system is to monitor all U.S. volcanoes at a level commensurate with the threat posed by the volcanoes by: (1) upgrading existing networks on monitored volcanoes, (2) installing new networks on unmonitored volcanoes, and (3) employing geodetic and other components when applicable. The system shall include: (1) a national volcano watch office that is operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, (2) a national volcano data center, (3) an external grants program to support research in volcano monitoring science and technology, and (4) modernization activities including the comprehensive application of emerging technologies. The USGS must: (1) submit to Congress a five-year management plan for establishing and operating the system, (2) establish an advisory committee to assist in implementing the system, and (3) report to Congress annually describing the activities carried out under this bill. The USGS may enter into cooperative agreements designating institutions of higher education and state agencies as volcano observatory partners for the system. (Sec. 4) The bill authorizes appropriations for FY2019-FY2023.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Volcano Early Warning and 
Monitoring System Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Geological Survey.
            (2) System.--The term ``System'' means the National Volcano 
        Early Warning and Monitoring System established under section 
        3(a)(1).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL VOLCANO EARLY WARNING AND MONITORING SYSTEM.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
        United States Geological Survey a system, to be known as the 
        ``National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System'', to 
        monitor, warn, and protect citizens of the United States from 
        undue and avoidable harm from volcanic activity.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the System are--
                    (A) to organize, modernize, standardize, and 
                stabilize the monitoring systems of the volcano 
                observatories in the United States, which includes the 
                Alaska Volcano Observatory, California Volcano 
                Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Hawaiian 
                Volcano Observatory, and Yellowstone Volcano 
                Observatory; and
                    (B) to unify the monitoring systems of volcano 
                observatories in the United States into a single 
                interoperative system.
            (3) Objective.--The objective of the System is to monitor 
        all the volcanoes in the United States at a level commensurate 
        with the threat posed by the volcanoes by--
                    (A) upgrading existing networks on monitored 
                volcanoes;
                    (B) installing new networks on unmonitored 
                volcanoes; and
                    (C) employing geodetic and other components when 
                applicable.
    (b) System Components.--
            (1) In general.--The System shall include--
                    (A) a national volcano watch office that is 
                operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week;
                    (B) a national volcano data center; and
                    (C) an external grants program to support research 
                in volcano monitoring science and technology.
            (2) Modernization activities.--Modernization activities 
        under the System shall include the comprehensive application of 
        emerging technologies, including digital broadband 
        seismometers, real-time continuous Global Positioning System 
        receivers, satellite and airborne radar interferometry, 
        acoustic pressure sensors, and spectrometry to measure gas 
        emissions.
    (c) Management.--
            (1) Management plan.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
                submit to Congress a 5-year management plan for 
                establishing and operating the System.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The management plan submitted 
                under subparagraph (A) shall include--
                            (i) annual cost estimates for modernization 
                        activities and operation of the System;
                            (ii) annual milestones, standards, and 
                        performance goals; and
                            (iii) recommendations for, and progress 
                        towards, establishing new, or enhancing 
                        existing, partnerships to leverage resources.
            (2) Advisory committee.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        advisory committee to assist the Secretary in implementing the 
        System, to be comprised of representatives of relevant agencies 
        and members of the scientific community, to be appointed by the 
        Secretary.
            (3) Partnerships.--The Secretary may enter into cooperative 
        agreements with institutions of higher education and State 
        agencies designating the institutions of higher education and 
        State agencies as volcano observatory partners for the System.
            (4) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate the 
        activities under this Act with the heads of relevant Federal 
        agencies, including--
                    (A) the Secretary of Transportation;
                    (B) the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration;
                    (C) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration; and
                    (D) the Director of the Federal Emergency 
                Management Administration.
    (d) Annual Report.--Annually, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report that describes the activities carried out under this 
Act.

SEC. 4. FUNDING.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act $55,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023.
    (b) Effect on Other Sources of Federal Funding.--Amounts made 
available under this section shall supplement, and not supplant, 
Federal funds made available for other United States Geological Survey 
hazards activities and programs.

            Passed the Senate May 17, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 346

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning 
                         and Monitoring System.