I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4998

To provide for an independent review of the implementation of the National

Implementation Plan for modernization of the National Weather Service

at specific sites, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 19, 1994

Mr. CRAMER (for himself, Mr. MCCLOSKEY, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. BEVILL, Mrs.

LLOYD, Ms. LONG, Mr. BARLOW, Ms. KAPTUR, and Mr. POSHARD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science,

Space, and Technology

A BILL

To provide for an independent review of the implementation

of the National Implementation Plan for modernization

of the National Weather Service at specific sites, and

for other purposes.

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 ‘‘Weather Service Mod5 ernization Performance Review Act of 1994’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—
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1 (1) the safety and welfare of the public depends

2 on the provision of accurate and timely weather in3 formation;

4 (2) in general, the National Implementation

5 Plan for modernization of the National Weather

6 Service required under the Weather Service Mod7 ernization Act provides a cost effective approach to

8 initiation of weather service modernization;

9 (3) some geographic areas, including northern

10 Alabama, north central, northeastern, and south11 western Indiana, southeastern Tennessee, southeast12 ern Illinois, northern California, southwestern and

13 northeastern Texas, central Oregon, central Idaho,

14 central Nevada, northwestern Ohio, northern Louisi15 ana, northeastern Iowa, north-central Florida, and

16 northeastern Arizona, may not realize the full bene17 fits of weather service implementation under the

18 plan; and

19 (4) there is a need to ensure, by means of an

20 independent, technical review, that the implementa21 tion of the weather service modernization plan at

22 specific sites fully meets the intent of law and does

23 not result in a degradation of existing service, in24 cluding no reduction in existing weather radar cov25 erage at an elevation of 10,000 feet.
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1 SEC. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.

2 (a) The Secretary of Commerce (in this Act referred

3 to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall provide for the public safety

4 by ensuring that the implementation of the National Im5 plementation Plan for the modernization of the National

6 Weather Service required under the Weather Service Mod7 ernization Act (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘National

8 Implementation Plan’’) does not result in a degradation

9 of service in any specific geographic area, which shall in10 clude maintaining radar coverage with no degradation of

11 service for areas served by the National Weather Service

12 system, and also shall provide for radar coverage in some

13 areas which might not otherwise be adequate with respect

14 to specific unique weather phenomena which pose a sub15 stantial threat to public safety.

16 (b) Within 60 days after the date of enactment of

17 this Act, and biennially thereafter until 2 years have

18 passed after the implementation of the National Imple19 mentation Plan is completed, the Secretary shall publish

20 a notice in the Federal Register soliciting public comment

21 for a period of 60 days on specific geographic areas where

22 there is uncertainty whether such implementation will re23 sult in or has resulted in any degradation in service.

24 (c) Within 180 days after the date of enactment of

25 this Act, and within 60 days after the end of each biennial

26 comment period under subsection (b), the Secretary shall
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1 enter into an agreement for an independent review, to be

2 completed within 180 days, by the National Research

3 Council of the National Academy of Sciences. Such review

4 shall, for each geographical area identified through a pub5 lic comment period under subsection (b)—

6 (1) evaluate any unique or extraordinary weath7 er conditions in the area;

8 (2) consider the proposed NEXRAD radar cov9 erage for the area, particularly to determine if the

10 area is or will be in an area of weak radar coverage;

11 (3) consider the effects of closing any local

12 Weather Service office on local weather service and

13 interaction with local emergency management agen14 cies; and

15 (4) consider the effects of transferring local

16 warning responsibility to a remote Weather Forecast

17 Office, including the effect on issuing weather

18 warnings by that remote office and communicating

19 with emergency management personnel with regard

20 to weather emergencies.

21 (d) The National Research Council shall submit rec22 ommendations, including any dissenting views, to the Sec23 retary regarding the need to supplement the National Im24 plementation Plan, revise any specific siting plans, estab-
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1 lish radar coverage at altitudes less than 10,000 feet, or

2 improve radar coverage service.

3 (e) Within 60 days after receiving recommendations

4 from the National Research Council under subsection (d),

5 the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a report con6 taining—

7 (1) the recommendations of the National Re8 search Council; and

9 (2) the actions the Secretary proposes to take

10 in response to those recommendations.

11 (f) For any area identified through a public comment

12 period under subsection (b), the Secretary shall take no

13 action which may result in a reduction of public safety,

14 including the closure of weather service offices, transfer

15 of responsibilities or duties of those offices, decommission16 ing of any warning radar, or transfer or reduction in per17 sonnel in those offices, until such time as the independent

18 review under subsection (c) is completed and a report with

19 respect to such review is transmitted to the Congress

20 under subsection (e).

21 (g) In carrying out this Act, the Secretary shall con22 sult with the Secretary of Defense and with the Secretary

23 of Transportation with respect to coverage of those De24 partment of Defense radars and Department of Transpor-
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1 tation radars, respectively, which supplement the civil sys2 tem.

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