II 

Calendar No. 653 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2751 

[Report No. 109–356] 

To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 4, 2006 

Mr. NELSON of Nebraska (for himself and Mr. DOMENICI) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 

Reported by Mr. STEVENS, without amendment 

A BILL 

To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Integrated 

5 Drought Information System Act of 2006’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NOAA PROGRAM TO MONITOR AND FORECAST 

2 DROUGHTS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary of Com4 merce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall establish a Na5 tional Integrated Drought Information System within the 

6 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

7 (b) SYSTEM FUNCTIONS.—The System shall— 

8 (1) provide an effective drought early warning 

9 system that— 

10 (A) is a comprehensive system that collects 

11 and integrates information on the key indica12 tors of drought in order to make usable, reli13 able, and timely drought forecasts and assess14 ments of drought, including assessments of the 

15 severity of drought conditions and impacts; 

16 (B) communicates drought forecasts, 

17 drought conditions, and drought impacts on an 

18 ongoing basis to— 

19 (i) decisionmakers at the Federal, re20 gional, State, tribal, and local levels of gov21 ernment; 

22 (ii) the private sector; and 

23 (iii) the public, 

24 in order to facilitate better informed, more 

25 timely decisions and support drought mitigation 


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1 and preparedness programs that will reduce im2 pacts and costs; and 

3 (C) includes timely (where possible real4 time) data, information, and products that re5 flect local, regional, and State differences in 

6 drought conditions; 

7 (2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, 

8 Federal research in support of a drought early warn9 ing system, improved forecasts, and the development 

10 of mitigation and preparedness tools and techniques; 

11 (3) build upon existing drought forecasting, as12 sessment, and mitigation programs at the National 

13 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including 

14 programs conducted in partnership with other Fed15 eral departments and agencies and existing research 

16 partnerships, such as that with the National 

17 Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Ne18 braska-Lincoln; and 

19 (4) be incorporated into the Global Earth Ob20 servation System of Systems. 

21 (c) CONSULTATION.—The Under Secretary shall con22 sult with relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local 

23 government agencies, research institutions, and the pri24 vate sector in the development of the National Integrated 

25 Drought Information System. 


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1 (d) COOPERATION FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGEN2 CIES.—Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appro3 priate with the Under Secretary in carrying out this Act. 

4 (e) DROUGHT DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

5 ‘‘drought’’ means a deficiency in precipitation— 

6 (1) that leads to a deficiency in surface or sub7 surface water supplies (including rivers, streams, 

8 wetlands, ground water, soil moisture, reservoir sup9 plies, lake levels, and snow pack); and 

10 (2) that causes or may cause— 

11 (A) substantial economic or social impacts; 

12 or 

13 (B) substantial physical damage or injury 

14 to individuals, property, or the environment. 

15 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec17 retary of Commerce for use by the Under Secretary of 

18 Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in implementing 

19 section 2— 

20 (1) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

21 (2) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

22 (3) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 

23 and 2010; and 

24 (4) $11,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 

25 and 2012. 


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bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
Calendar No. 653 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2751 

[Report No. 109

–356] 

A BILL 

To strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmosforecasting capabilities. pheric Administration’s drought monitoring and 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 

Reported without amendment 


bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS