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[Senate Report 107-310]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                       Calendar No. 698
107th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     107-310

======================================================================

 
        INLAND FLOOD FORECASTING AND WARNING SYSTEM ACT OF 2002

                                _______
                                

                October 10, 2002.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

      Mr. Hollings, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2486]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the Act (H.R. 2486) to authorize the 
National Weather Service to conduct research and development, 
training, and outreach activities relating to tropical cyclone 
inland forecasting improvement, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the Act do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

  The purpose of H.R. 2486 is to authorize the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the United 
States Weather Research Program (USWRP), to improve the 
capability to forecast inland flooding through research and 
modeling, and to develop, test, and deploy a new flood warning 
index.

                          Background and Needs

  In 1999, Hurricane Floyd killed 48 people and caused nearly 
$3 billion in property damage, primarily through the flooding 
of inland communities. In 2000, Tropical Storm Allison 
unexpectedly dumped more than 35 inches of rain in Texas and 
traveled from Texas eastward through much of the southeast 
United States, resulting in more than 50 deaths, again, 
primarily as a result of inland flooding.
  While the National Weather Service has the ability to 
accurately predict most flood events, it has difficulty in 
forecasting coastal and estuary-inland flooding events that are 
caused by tropical cyclones.
  In addition, the flood warning index (or scale) currently 
used by the National Weather Service does not include enough 
information about the potential risks and dangers posed by 
expected floods.
  The USWRP is a $9 million multi-agency collaborative effort 
of research communities, academia, and government. The focus of 
the program is to integrate weather-related research and new 
developments in technology with public and private sector 
applications.
  The government participants include NOAA, which houses USWRP, 
the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautic and 
Space Administration, and the Department of Defense.

                          Legislative History

  H.R. 2486 was introduced in the House of Representatives on 
July 12, 2001. It was reported as amended by the Committee on 
Science on June 5, 2002, House Report 107-495. The Act was 
passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 413:3 (Roll 
no. 294). Upon passage by the House of Representatives, the Act 
was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation. On September 19, 2002, 
in an executive session, the Act was ordered to be reported 
without amendment favorably.

                            Estimated Costs

  In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                   Washington, DC, October 2, 2002.
Hon. Ernest F. Hollings,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. 
        Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2486, the Inland 
Flood Forecasting and Warning System Act of 2002.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2486--Inland Flood Forecasting and Warning System Act of 2002

    Summary: H.R. 2486 would require the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve its ability to 
forecast inland flooding through research and modeling. The act 
would direct the agency to create and implement a flood warning 
index, train government and other personnel to use new 
forecasting methodologies, assess trends in inland flooding, 
and conduct outreach and education. Finally, the act would 
authorize the appropriate of $1.25 million for each of fiscal 
years 2003 through 2005, and $1.15 million for 2006 and 2007 
for these activities.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 2486 would cost about $6 
million over the 2003-2007 period. Enacting this legislation 
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
    H.R. 2486 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact on H.R. 2486 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).
    For this estimate, CBO assumes that the amounts authorized 
by H.R. 2486 will be appropriated near the beginning of each 
fiscal year and that outlays will follow historical spending 
patterns for similar grant programs.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
                                                                       2003     2004     2005     2006     2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Inland Flood Forecasting and Warning \1\:
    Authorized Level...............................................        1        1        1        1        1
    Estimated Outlays..............................................        1        1        1        1        1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NOAA's National Weather Service $642 million in operating funds from fiscal year 2002 appropriations, about
  $1.5 million of which was for advanced hydrological forecasting activities similar to those that would be
  authorized by H.R. 2486. A full-year appropriation for NOAA for 2003 has not yet been provided.

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 2486 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. The act would benefit public universities by 
authorizing a total of $1.55 million in grant funding over the 
2003-2007 period to institutions of higher education, including 
public universities, for developing models for improved flood 
forecasts and for analyzing long-term trends in the frequency 
and severity of inland flooding. Any costs incurred by states 
would be voluntary.
    Previous CBO cost estimate: On May 31, 2002, CBO 
transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 2486 as ordered reported 
by the House Committee on Science on May 22, 2002. The 
authorization levels contained in the Senate version of the 
legislation are $100,000 higher than those of the version 
approved by the House Science Committee for fiscal years 2003 
through 2005. The cost estimates reflect this difference.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Cost: Deborah Reis; Impact on 
State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Susan Sieg Tompkins; and 
Impact on the Private Sector: Cecil McPherson.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

  In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:
  Because H.R. 2486 does not create any new programs, the 
legislation would have no additional regulatory impact, and 
should result in no additional reporting requirements. The 
legislation would have no further effect on the number or types 
of individuals and businesses regulated, the economic impact of 
such regulation, the personal privacy of affected individuals, 
or the paperwork required from such individuals and businesses.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

Section 1. Short title

  Section 1 would cite the title of the Act as the ``Inland 
Flood Forecasting and Warning System Act of 2002.''

Section 2. Authorized activities

  Section 2 would authorize NOAA, through the United States 
Weather Research Program, to develop, test, and deploy an 
inland flood warning index for use by public and emergency 
management officials. After developing the index, NOAA would be 
required to train emergency management officials, National 
Weather Service personnel, meteorologists, and others, as 
appropriate, in the use of the new inland flood warning index, 
and conduct outreach and education activities for the public.

Section 3. Authorization of appropriations

  Section 3 would authorize appropriations of $1,150,000 for 
each fiscal year (FY) from 2003 through 2007, for a total of 
$5,750,000 to NOAA. Of this amount, up to $250,000 for each 
fiscal year would be available for competitive merit reviewed 
grants to institutions of higher education to improve the 
ability to forecast coastal and estuary-inland flooding 
associated with tropical cyclones.

Section 4. Report

  Section 4 would require NOAA, not later than 90 days after 
the Act is enacted, and annually through FY 2007, to report to 
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and House of Representatives Committee on Science on the 
success and acceptance of the inland flood warning index. NOAA 
would also be required to report to the House of 
Representatives Committee on Science and the Senate Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, not later than 
January 1, 2006, on the likely long-term trends in inland 
flooding, and the activities conducted under the direction of 
this legislation, especially activities to alert the public and 
builders to flood hazards.

                        Changes in Existing Law

  In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the Act as 
reported would make no change to existing law.

                                
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