U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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49–010 

" ! SENATE 109TH CONGRESS

2nd Session 

REPORT

2006

109–356 

Calendar No. 653 

NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT 

INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT OF 2006 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 2751 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006.—Ordered to be printed 


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(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman 

DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman 

JOHN McCAIN, Arizona 

CONRAD BURNS, Montana 

TRENT LOTT, Mississippi 

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas 

OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine 

GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon 

JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada 

GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia 

JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia 

JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts 

BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota 

BARBARA BOXER, California 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey 

E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas 

LISA SUTHERLAND, Staff Director 

CHRISTINE KURTH, Deputy Staff Director 

KENNETH NAHIGIAN, Chief Counsel 

MARGARET CUMMISKY, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

SAMUEL WHITEHORN, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel 


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Calendar No. 653 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2nd Session 109–356 

NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION 

SYSTEM ACT OF 2006 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. STEVENS, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2751] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 2751) to strengthen the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s drought monitoring and 

forecasting capabilities, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do 

pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of S. 2751, is to create an effective drought early 

warning system, coordinate Federal drought research, build upon 

existing drought, weather, and climate monitoring and assessment 

programs and be incorporated into the Global Earth Observing System of System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

Droughts are a regular and historical phenomena that have impacted various regions of the United States throughout history. 

They are a normal part of climate. According to the glossary of meteorology, a drought is defined as ‘‘a period of abnormally dry 

weather sufficiently prolonged for the lack of water to cause serious 

hydrologic imbalance in the affected area.’’ Put simply, a drought 

is a period of long-term dry weather that persists long enough to 

cause significant problems such as crop damage, water supply 

shortages, and fire risks. Deficiencies in precipitation may include 

reduced rain or snow levels (compared to climate norms) but may 


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also be aggravated by such factors as wind, temperature, relative 

humidity, and cloud cover. 

The severity of the drought depends upon how little rain falls/ 

snow melts, the duration of the lack of rain/snow melt, and the size 

of the affected area. Droughts are primarily broken down into four 

categories: meteorological, where there is less rain than usual; agricultural, where the amount of moisture in the soil no longer meets 

the needs of a particular crop; hydrological, where surface and subsurface water supplies are below normal; and socioeconomic where 

physical water shortages begin to affect the population at large. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

The bill would direct the Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA). 

The bill states that the system shall provide an effective early 

warning system that shall allow for ‘‘usable, reliable, and timely 

drought forecasts’’ that shall be communicated to all stakeholdlers 

and shall be transmitted in real time when possible. The bill also 

would instruct the Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to 

work with other Federal agencies and to coordinate with Federal, 

State, local and tribal governments, research institutions and the 

private sector. 

Existing efforts by Federal, State, and other entities provide a 

broad base of monitoring and assessment information on which the 

National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) can be 

built. The Committee expects NOAA to coordinate the activities of 

NIDIS with existing established monitoring, assessment, and prediction programs with relevance to drought, such as: the National 

Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska, NOAA’s 

Regional Climate Centers and Regional Integrated Sciences and 

Assessments program, and university-based programs with expertise in climatic, mesonet, or drought-related issues, including 

NOTAA’s regional and State partnerships and Cooperative Institutes. 

The legislation would authorize $8 million in fiscal year (FY) 

2007, $9 million in FY 2008, $10 million in FY 2009 and FY 2010 

and $11 million in FY 2011 and FY 2012. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (S. 

2751) was introduced by Senator Ben Nelson on May 4, 2006, and 

referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation. On July 19, 2006, the Committee considered the 

bill in an open Executive Session. The Committee, without objection, adopted the bill and ordered S. 2751 be reported. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

In compliance with subsection (a)(3) of paragraph 11 of rule 

XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states 

that, in its opinion, it is necessary to dispense with the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of that subsection in order to expedite the business of the Senate. 


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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: 

NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

The bill does not authorize any new regulations and therefore 

will not subject any individuals or businesses to new regulations. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

S. 2751 would authorize $8 million in FY 2007, $9 million in FY 

2008, $10 million in FY 2009 and FY 2010 and $11 million for each 

of FY 2011 and FY 2012 in appropriations to Secretary of Commerce for use by the Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere. 

These funding levels are not expected to have an inflationary impact on the nation’s economy. 

PRIVACY

The reported bill would have little, if any, impact on the personal 

privacy of U.S. citizens. 

PAPERWORK

The reported bill should not significantly increase paperwork requirements for individuals and businesses. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title. 

Section 1 would establish the short title of the bill as the ‘‘National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.’’

Section 2. NOAA program to monitor and forecast droughts. 

Section 2 would establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

The section would require that the system shall provide an effective early warning system that shall allow for ‘‘usable, reliable, and 

timely drought forecasts’’ that shall be communicated to all stakeholders and shall be transmitted in real time when possible. The 

section also would require the system to communicate drought information to policymakers at all levels of government and to the 

public and the private sector. The section also would require that 

other Federal agencies cooperate with the Undersecretary. Finally, 

the section would provide a definition of drought. 

Section 3. Authorization of appropriations. 

Section 3 would authorize $8 million in FY 2007, $9 million in 

FY 2008, $10 million in FY 2009 and FY 2010 and $11 million in 

FY 2011 and FY 2012 in appropriations to Secretary of Commerce 

for use by the Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere. 


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(4) 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the bill as reported 

would make no change to existing law. 

Æ 


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