II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2751 

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 

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NOAA PROGRAM TO MONITOR AND FORECAST 

7 DROUGHTS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary of Com9 merce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall establish a NaVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:40 May 10, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2751.IS S2751

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1 tional Integrated Drought Information System within the 

2 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

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

4 (1) provide an effective drought early warning 

5 system that— 

6 (A) is a comprehensive system that collects 

7 and integrates information on the key indica8 tors of drought in order to make usable, reli9 able, and timely drought forecasts and assess10 ments of drought, including assessments of the 

11 severity of drought conditions and impacts; 

12 (B) communicates drought forecasts, 

13 drought conditions, and drought impacts on an 

14 ongoing basis to— 

15 (i) decisionmakers at the Federal, re16 gional, State, tribal, and local levels of gov17 ernment; 

18 (ii) the private sector; and 

19 (iii) the public, 

20 in order to facilitate better informed, more 

21 timely decisions and support drought mitigation 

22 and preparedness programs that will reduce im23 pacts and costs; and 

24 (C) includes timely (where possible real25 time) data, information, and products that reVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:40 May 10, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2751.IS S2751

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1 flect local, regional, and State differences in 

2 drought conditions; 

3 (2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, 

4 Federal research in support of a drought early warn5 ing system, improved forecasts, and the development 

6 of mitigation and preparedness tools and techniques; 

7 (3) build upon existing drought forecasting, as8 sessment, and mitigation programs at the National 

9 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including 

10 programs conducted in partnership with other Fed11 eral departments and agencies and existing research 

12 partnerships, such as that with the National 

13 Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Ne14 braska-Lincoln; and 

15 (4) be incorporated into the Global Earth Ob16 servation System of Systems. 

17 (c) CONSULTATION.—The Under Secretary shall con18 sult with relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local 

19 government agencies, research institutions, and the pri20 vate sector in the development of the National Integrated 

21 Drought Information System. 

22 (d) COOPERATION FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGEN23 CIES.—Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appro24 priate with the Under Secretary in carrying out this Act. 


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

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

3 (1) that leads to a deficiency in surface or sub4 surface water supplies (including rivers, streams, 

5 wetlands, ground water, soil moisture, reservoir sup6 plies, lake levels, and snow pack); and 

7 (2) that causes or may cause— 

8 (A) substantial economic or social impacts; 

9 or 

10 (B) substantial physical damage or injury 

11 to individuals, property, or the environment. 

12 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec14 retary of Commerce for use by the Under Secretary of 

15 Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in implementing 

16 section 2— 

17 (1) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

18 (2) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

19 (3) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 

20 and 2010; and 

21 (4) $11,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 

22 and 2012. 

Æ 


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