PUBLIC LAW 107–253—OCT. 29, 2002 116 STAT. 1731

Public Law 107–253

107th Congress

An Act

To authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the

United States Weather Research Program, to conduct research and development,

training, and outreach activities relating to inland flood forecasting improvement,

and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Inland Flood Forecasting and

Warning System Act of 2002’’.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through

the United States Weather Research Program, shall—

(1) improve the capability to accurately forecast inland

flooding (including inland flooding influenced by coastal and

ocean storms) through research and modeling;

(2) develop, test, and deploy a new flood warning index

that will give the public and emergency management officials

fuller, clearer, and more accurate information about the risks

and dangers posed by expected floods;

(3) train emergency management officials, National

Weather Service personnel, meteorologists, and others as appropriate regarding improved forecasting techniques for inland

flooding, risk management techniques, and use of the inland

flood warning index developed under paragraph (2);

(4) conduct outreach and education activities for local meteorologists and the public regarding the dangers and risks associated with inland flooding and the use and understanding of

the inland flood warning index developed under paragraph

(2); and

(5) assess, through research and analysis of previous

trends, among other activities—

(A) the long-term trends in frequency and severity

of inland flooding; and

(B) how shifts in climate, development, and erosion

patterns might make certain regions vulnerable to more

continual or escalating flood damage in the future.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration for carrying out this Act

$1,250,000 for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005, of which

$100,000 for each fiscal year shall be available for competitive

15 USC 313c

note.

15 USC 313c.

15 USC 311 note.

Inland Flood

Forecasting and

Warning System

Act of 2002.

Oct. 29, 2002

[H.R. 2486]

116 STAT. 1732 PUBLIC LAW 107–253—OCT. 29, 2002

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2486:

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107–495 (Comm. on Science).

SENATE REPORTS: No. 107–310 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):

July 11, considered and passed House.

Oct. 16, considered and passed Senate.

Æ

merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education (as defined

in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.

1001)) to carry out the activities described in section 2(5), and

$1,150,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Of the

amounts authorized under this section, $250,000 for each fiscal

year shall be available for competitive merit-reviewed grants to

institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to develop models

that can improve the ability to forecast the coastal and estuaryinland flooding that is influenced by tropical cyclones. The models

should incorporate the interaction of such factors as storm surges,

soil saturation, and other relevant phenomena.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of

this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2007, the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall transmit

to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the

Senate a report on its activities under this Act and the success

and acceptance of the inland flood warning index developed under

section 2(2) by the public and emergency management professionals.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall also,

not later than January 1, 2006, transmit to the Committee on

Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on

Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report

on the likely long-term trends in inland flooding, the results of

which shall be used in outreach activities conducted under section

2(4), especially to alert the public and builders to flood hazards.

Approved October 29, 2002.

Deadlines.

15 USC 313c

note.