I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3538 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 

Mr. PITTENGER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

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. 

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 ‘‘Metropolitan Weather 

5 Hazards Protection Act of 2015’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3538 IH

1 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR OPERATION OF DOPPLER 

2 WEATHER RADAR SITES NEAR LARGE CITIES. 

3 (a) REQUIREMENT.—Beginning not later than 450 

4 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec5 retary of Commerce shall— 

6 (1) maintain and operate at least one Doppler 

7 weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in 

8 the United States that has a population of more 

9 than 700,000 individuals; and 

10 (2) ensure that each radar maintained and op11 erated near a city described in paragraph (1) is 

12 available to the office of the National Weather Serv13 ice that provides services to such city. 

14 (b) STANDARDS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 

15 each radar maintained and operated under subsection (a) 

16 conforms with the same standards that apply to radars 

17 operated by the Secretary, acting through the Adminis18 trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis19 tration, on the day before the date of the enactment of 

20 this Act, including standards relating to the use of dual21 polarization technology or other technologies included in 

22 Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988, Doppler (WSR–88D) 

23 radars. 

24 (c) CONSIDERATIONS.—When determining the loca25 tion for constructing a radar to meet the requirements of 

26 subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3538 IH

1 nearby counties that have populations of more than 

2 130,000 and do not otherwise have radar beam coverage 

3 below 10,000 feet from Weather Surveillance Radar, 

4 1988, Doppler (WSR–88D) radars. 

5 (d) REPORT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

7 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec8 retary shall submit to Congress a report detailing 

9 the Doppler weather radar sites that need to be con10 structed or acquired in order to meet the require11 ment of subsection (a). 

12 (2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 

13 paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

14 (A) Feasible locations for placement and 

15 construction of radar sites, determined by the 

16 Secretary to provide the necessary meteorolog17 ical capabilities to best protect a city described 

18 in subsection (a). 

19 (B) A timeline for when construction or 

20 acquisition of each radar site will be complete. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS