U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

59–010 

" ! SENATE 

114TH CONGRESS

2d Session 

REPORT

2016

114–351 

Calendar No. 629 

METROPOLITAN WEATHER HAZARDS 

PROTECTION ACT OF 2015 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 2058 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016.—Ordered to be printed 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SENE:\Seals\Congress.#13
(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman 

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida 

ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

MARCO RUBIO, Florida CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri 

KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota 

TED CRUZ, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut 

DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii 

JERRY MORAN, Kansas ED MARKEY, Massachusetts 

DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska CORY BOOKER, New Jersey 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TOM UDALL, New Mexico 

DEAN HELLER, Nevada JOE MANCHIN, West Virginia 

CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY PETERS, Michigan 

STEVE DAINES, Montana 

NICK ROSSI, Staff Director 

ADRIAN ARNAKIS, Deputy Staff Director 

JASON VAN BEEK, General Counsel 

KIM LIPSKY, Democratic Staff Director 

CHRISTOPHER DAY, Democratic Deputy Staff Director 

CLINT ODOM, Democratic General Counsel 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SEN
1 NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, accessed December 3, 2015, at http:// 

www.nssl.noaa.gov/tools/radar/nexrad. 

Calendar No. 629 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 114–351 

METROPOLITAN WEATHER HAZARDS PROTECTION ACT 

OF 2015 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016.—Ordered to be printed 

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

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2058] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 2058) to require the Secretary of 

Commerce to maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather 

radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United States that 

has a population of more than 700,000 individuals, and for other 

purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 

with an amendment (in the nature of a substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of S. 2058, the Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015, is to direct the Secretary of Commerce to identify areas with gaps in radar coverage and develop a plan for addressing these gaps. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

Doppler radars are used to determine the velocity of objects, such 

as precipitation and airplanes. The ubiquity of their images have 

made them one of the most widely recognized tools for weather predictions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA) National Weather Service’s (NWS) radar network is made 

up of 158 NEXt-generation RADar (NEXRAD).1 In 2013, the NWS 

finished the software and hardware upgrades necessary to install 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SEN
2 

2 NOAA Weather Ready Nation, ‘‘Dual-polarization radar: Stepping stones to building a 

Weather-Ready Nation,’’ accessed December 3, 2015, at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/ 

weatherreadynation/news/130425_dualpol.html#.VmAqc7_S7GY. 3 NOAA National Weather Service Radar Operations Center, accessed December 3, 2015, at 

http://www.roc.noaa.gov/WSR88D/SLEP/SLEP.aspx. 4 R. D. Cook and T. L. Allmon, G. Secrest, A. D. Free, D. L. Rose, and J. M. Williams, ‘‘A 

Service Life Extension Program for the WSR-88D Radars,’’ paper presented at the American Meteorological Society’s 30th Conference on Environmental Information Processing Technologies, 

Atlanta, Georgia, February 2-4, 2014, at https://ams.confex.com/ams/94Annual/webprogram/ 

Paper241171.html. 

dual polarization technology in all of its NEXRADs. ‘‘Dual-pol’’ radars can detect which type of precipitation is falling and capture 

the characteristic airborne debris created when a tornado touches 

ground.2 NEXRADs are no longer manufactured; however, the 

NWS is currently performing service life extensions 3 on all of its 

NEXRADs, with the goal of extending their use for another 20 

years.4

Of particular concern to the bill’s sponsors, Charlotte, North 

Carolina, is currently covered by a NWS Doppler radar that is 94 

miles away in Greer, South Carolina. No other city of Charlotte’s 

size has a radar situated more than 55 miles away. The current location results in a majority of the metropolitan area being without 

radar beam coverage below 10,000 feet. Due to the circumference 

of the Earth, the further a radar is from a given point the higher 

the radar beam scans the atmosphere, leading to lower resolutions 

and an inability to detect the low-level dynamics of severe weather. 

Rowan, Cabarrus, and Davidson Counties in North Carolina have 

an even more pronounced problem with limited radar coverage because of the location of the radar. 

Local meteorologists believe that the lack of quality radar coverage has made it difficult for the local NWS forecast office in 

Spartanburg, Tennessee to detect severe weather, specifically tornadoes. In March 2012, the NWS office failed to warn of a tornado 

that affected Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Cabarrus Counties of North 

Carolina. It can be very difficult to detect rotation in thunderstorms that tend to affect North Carolina; however, the lack of a 

Doppler radar for the Piedmont may enhance the problem. 

In addition, radar coverage over several other regions is sparse 

or limited. For example, Washington and New Mexico face significant gaps in radar coverage. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

If enacted, S. 2058 would require the Secretary of Commerce to 

identify areas with gaps in radar coverage and develop a plan for 

addressing these gaps. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 2058 was introduced by Senator Burr on September 17, 2015. 

It was cosponsored by Senator Tillis. On December 9, 2015, the 

Committee met in open Executive Session and, by a voice vote, ordered a substitute version of S. 2058 reported favorably. The substitute amendment was offered by Senator Cantwell. 

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 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SEN
3 

Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following cost estimate, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 2058—Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015 

S. 2058 would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to complete a study that would identify areas 

without Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD). The study 

also would determine how NEXRAD could improve weather forecasts in those areas and would assess the feasibility of expanding 

radar capabilities in those areas. Finally, the bill would require 

NOAA to develop a peer-reviewed plan to improve radar coverage 

in underserved areas. 

Based on information provided by NOAA, CBO estimates that 

implementing S. 2058 would cost less than $500,000; such spending 

would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting 

the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, 

pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would not increase net direct spending or onbudget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027. 

S. 2058 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT

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

S. 2058 as reported would not create any new programs or impose any new regulatory requirements, and therefore would not 

subject any individuals or businesses to new regulations. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Enactment of this legislation is not expected to have any inflationary or adverse impact on the Nation’s economy. 

PRIVACY

The bill would not impact the personal privacy of individuals. 

PAPERWORK

S. 2058, as amended, would require a report and a plan from 

NOAA. The NOAA Administrator would provide to Congress a report on gaps in the coverage of the NEXRAD system and a plan 

on how to improve radar coverage. It would not increase paperwork 

for the private sector. 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SEN
4 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no provisions 

contained in the bill, as reported, meet the definition of congressionally directed spending items under the rule. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title. 

This section would provide the short title of the bill, the Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015. 

Section 2. Study on gaps in NEXRAD coverage and requirement for 

plan to address such gaps. 

As introduced this section would have required the Secretary of 

Commerce to maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather 

radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United Sates that has 

a population of more than 700,000 individuals. There are two locations that fit the criteria for additional radars. The model of radars 

NOAA currently uses is no longer manufactured and the agency 

was concerned that it would be very costly, and potentially impossible to complete the mandate. This section, as modified in Committee, would require the Secretary of Commerce to identify areas 

with gaps in radar coverage and develop a plan for addressing 

these gaps. 

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 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REPORTS-SEN