Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 4 / Tuesday, January 7, 1997 / Notices 981

review certifications after the public

comment period had closed so their

consultation would be with the benefit

of public comments that had been

submitted.

This notice does not include the

complete certification packages because

they are too voluminous to publish.

Copies of the certification packages and

supporting documentation can be

obtained through the contact listed

above.

Once all public comments have been

received and considered, the NWS will

complete consultation with the

Committee and determine whether to

proceed with the final certification. If a

decision to certify is made, the Secretary

of Commerce must publish the final

certification in the Federal Register and

transmit the certification to the

appropriate Congressional committees

prior to closing these offices.

Dated: December 31, 1996.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.

[FR Doc. 97–223 Filed 1–6–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

National Weather Service

Modernization and Associated

Restructuring

AGENCY: National Weather Service

(NWS), NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and opportunity for

public comment.

SUMMARY: The NWS is publishing

proposed certifications for the

automation and closure of the following

Weather Service offices at the indicated

FAA Weather Observation Service

Level:

(1) Chicago-O’Hare (AV) Weather

Service Office (WSO) which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Chicago Weather

Forecast Office (WFO);

(2) Columbia WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future St. Louis, Kansas

City/Pleasant Hill and Springfield

WFOs’;

(3) Detroit WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Detroit WFO;

(4) Flint WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future Detroit WFO;

(5) Residual Moline WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and with

services being provided by the future

Quad Cities WFO;

(6) Sioux City WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Sioux Falls and

Omaha WFOs;

(7) Akron WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Cleveland,

Pittsburgh, and Charleston, WV WFOs;

(8) Allentown WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Philadelphia,

Binghamton and Central Pennsylvania

WFOs;

(9) Atlantic City WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Philadelphia

WFO;

(10) Baltimore WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Baltimore, MD/

Washington D.C., Philadelphia and

Wakefield WFOs. As the only field

office in Maryland, an evaluation of

services to in-state users, included in

the meteorologist-in-charge’s

memorandum recommending

certification, has concluded that users

in Maryland are receiving equal or

better services from the future

Baltimore, MD/Washington D.C.,

Philadelphia and Wakefield WFOs.

(11) Residual Boston WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

Boston WFO;

(12) Bridgeport WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future New York City

WFO;

(13) Residual Charleston, West

Virginia WSO which will be automated

at FAA Weather Observation Service

Level B and with services being

provided by the future Charleston WFO;

(14) Columbus, Ohio WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and

Charleston, WV WFOs;

(15) Dayton WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Cincinnati WFO;

(16) Hartford WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Boston, New

York City and Albany WFOs;

(17) Lynchburg WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Roanoke WFO;

(18) Mansfield WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Cleveland WFO;

(19) Norfolk WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future Wakefield WFO;

(20) Residual Portland, Maine WSO

which will be automated at FAA

Weather Observation Service Level C

and with services being provided by the

future Portland, WFO;

(21) Providence WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Boston WFO. As

the only field office in Rhode Island, an

evaluation of services to in-state users,

included in the meteorologist-incharge’s memorandum recommending

certification, has concluded that users

in Rhode Island are receiving equal or

better services from the future Boston

WFO.

(22) Residual Raleigh WSO which

will be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

Raleigh/Durham WFO;

(23) Richmond WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Wakefield,

Baltimore, MD/Washington D.C. and

Roanoke WFOs;

(24) Roanoke WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Roanoke WFO;

(25) Toledo WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Cleveland and

Cincinnati WFOs;

(26) Wilkes-Barre WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Binghamton and

Central Pennsylvania WFOs;

(27) Williamsport WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Central

Pennsylvania and Binghamton WFOs;

(28) Wilmington WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Philadelphia

WFO. As the only field office in

Delaware, an evaluation of services to

in-state users, included in the

meteorologist-in-charge’s memorandum
982 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 4 / Tuesday, January 7, 1997 / Notices

recommending certification, has

concluded that users in Delaware are

receiving equal or better services from

the future Philadelphia WFO.

(29) Worcester WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Boston WFO;

(30) Youngstown WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future Cleveland and

Pittsburgh WFOs;

(31) Residual Atlanta WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

Atlanta WFO;

(32) Baton Rouge WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future New Orleans/

Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and Jackson

WFOs;

(33) Daytona Beach WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and with

services being provided by the future

Melbourne and Jacksonville WFOs;

(34) Residual El Paso WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and with

services being provided by the future El

Paso WFO;

(35) Knoxville WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future Knoxville/TriCities and Nashville WFOs;

(36) Residual Lubbock WSO which

will be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and with

services being provided by the future

Lubbock WFO;

(37) Montgomery WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and with services being

provided by the future Birmingham,

Mobile and Tallahassee WFOs;

(38) Residual Oklahoma City WSO

which will be automated at FAA

Weather Observation Service Level A

and with services being provided by the

future Oklahoma City WFO;

(39) Residual San Antonio WSO

which will be automated at FAA

Weather Observation Service Level A

and with services being provided by the

future Austin/San Antonio WFO;

(40) Residual Tulsa WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

Tulsa WFO;

(41) West Palm Beach WSO which

will be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and with

services being provided by the future

Miami and Melbourne WFOs;

(42) Residual San Diego WSO which

will be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level A and with

services being provided by the future

San Diego WFO; and

(43) Stockton WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level C and with services being

provided by the future Sacramento

WFO.

In accordance with Pub. Law 102–

567, the public will have 60 days in

which to comment on these proposed

automation and closure certifications.

DATES: Comments are requested by

March 10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

proposed automation and closure

packages should be sent to Tom Beaver,

Room 09356, 1325 East-West Highway,

Silver Spring, MD 20910, telephone

301–713–0300. All comments should be

sent to Tom Beaver at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie

Scanlon at 301–713–1698 ext 151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

accordance with section 706 of Pub.

Law 102–567, the Secretary of

Commerce must certify that these

automations and closures will not result

in any degradation of service to the

affected areas of responsibility and must

publish the proposed automation and

closure certification in the FR. The

documentation supporting each

proposed certification includes the

following:

(1) A draft memorandum by the

meteorologist(s)-in-charge

recommending the certification, the

final of which will be endorsed by the

Regional Director and the Assistant

Administrator of the NMS if

appropriate, after consideration of

public comments and completion of

consultation with the Modernization

Transition Committee (the Committee);

(2) A description of local weather

characteristics and weather-related

concerns which affect the weather

services provided within the service

area;

(3) A comparison of the services

provided within the service area and the

services to be provided after such

action;

(4) A description of any recent or

expected modernization of NWS

operation which will enhance services

in the service area;

(5) An identification of any area

within the affected service area which

would not receive coverage (at an

elevation of 10,000 feet) by the next

generation weather radar network;

(6) Evidence, based upon operational

demonstration of modernized NWS

operations, which was considered in

reaching the conclusion that no

degradation in service will result from

such action including the ASOS

Commissioning Report; series of three

letters between NWS and FAA

confirming that weather services will

continue in full compliance with

applicable flight aviation rules after

ASOS commissioning; Surface Aviation

Observation Transition Checklist

documenting transfer of augmentation

and backup responsibility from NWS to

FAA; successful resolution of ASOS

user confirmation of services

complaints; and an in-place

supplementary data program at the

responsible WFO(s);

(7) Warning and forecast verification

statistics for pre-modernized and

modernized services which were

utilized in determining that services

have not been degraded;

(8) An Air Safety Appraisal for offices

which are located on an airport; and

(9) A letter appointing the liaison

officer.

These proposed certifications do not

include any report of the Committee

which could be submitted in accordance

with sections 706(b)(6) and 707(c) of

Pub. Law 102–567. In December 1995

the Committee decided that, in general,

they would forego the optional

consultation on proposed certifications.

Instead, the Committee would just

review certifications after the public

comment period had closed so their

consultation would be with the benefit

of public comments that had been

submitted.

This notice does not include the

complete certification packages because

they are too voluminous to publish.

Copies of the certification packages and

supporting documentation can be

obtained through the contact listed

above.

Once all public comments have been

received and considered, the NWS will

complete consultation with the

Committee and determine whether to

proceed with the final certification. If a

decision to certify is made, the Secretary

of Commerce must publish the final

certification in the FR and transmit the

certification to the appropriate

Congressional committee prior to

automating and closing these offices.

Dated: December 31, 1996.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.

[FR Doc. 97–224 Filed 1–6–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M